Warlords Fall the Hardest
by HoukouNoSuno
Summary: He dully realized he had only ever kissed her mouth, something he had an abrupt urge to change. Major SuiKa. :On hiatus till school lets out:
1. Chapter 1: Sake suika

"Damn…it."

"…You're really pathetic, huh?"

A single, pale finger stabbed upwards, trembling only slightly; for those who don't know, it was quite a good sign that her sanity still had some regime.

"Silence, bastard." It was muffled against the floor she had tripped over absolutely nothing to land face down against.

And yet, he felt utterly insulted.

"Oh, shut the hell up, bitch. At least I can stay standing…"

"Meeehhhhhhhhhhhh…" she growled, and he watched almost intently as her fingers curled, nails digging into the carpet.

Somewhat satisfied, Suigetsu pushed a foot under her belly and roughly rolled her over.

He blinked.

Crimson eyes gave bleary, slow blinks, their depths absolutely glazed…finally, they found him, and narrowed into a weak, half lidded glare as one twitched.

It hit him, softly yet soundly as her bitter look.

"Ha…you're wasted off your _ass,_" he snorted.

"Go away and ddddddddiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeee…" She dragged the exasperated whine out as long as she could, her arm flinging up to drape over her eyes.

His foot landed roughly on her stomach, and she jerked with an irritated sound of sheer protest.

"I, Suigetsu-Sama herby claim this drunken bitch," he beamed savagely.

No, he didn't really want her.

Who would?

But still…this was fun.

"Getoff…" she slurred her arm unmoving despite the fist its hand was tightening into.

Chest puffing out, he gave a small bark of laughter.

"Make me."

If he declared, she bit.

"You look like a bloated toad when you do that—"

He cut off her tired snort by crushing his shoe into her gut.

Well _damn_ any sound that would invoke pity. Damn it to hell.

Her whimper hit him, and his scowl faltered quite a bit.

Her limb had moved to reveal that her lids had fallen shut, her face contorted into a pained and helpless look…

He moved his leg away before crouching besides her.

"Stop being a wimp," he growled.

His teasingly glare paused.

Because her facial features had suddenly fallen limp and blank, her breath seemingly deepening.

Had she passed out--?

"Don't touch me, sonofabitch…"

No. Just annoyed the hell out of him.

"Jeez, there's something missing up here," he muttered, poking where he knew a heart lay pulsing in her chest.

Even if it be completely void to him.

"Ow…" she moaned, brow narrowing as she slapped his appendage away.

His peripheral vision caught something dark red, almost umber, amongst the shadows…too dark and far down to be her hair.

"You're bleeding." Casually, he took a long sip from his thermos's straw, his fingers barely brushing against the damp part of her shirt.

"Thanks to you and your damn foot…obvious asshole…"

Eyes rolling, he fell backwards into a sit.

"Hey, I only pushed on it a little—even though it's hard for you, you shouldn't be brainless around bar idiots and kunai."

"He was asking for it..." she bit out. Something in her tone told him she was expressing a lot less pain than she was feeling.

"_God_, you're stupid."

His hand had barely reached her zipper when her red irises bore into him, a death like grip painfully close to disconnecting his wrist. _Che…I'm so used to her having glasses that I can't even notice when she isn't wearing them._

"Back off, I'm just going to see," he snarled dully, liquefying from her grasp. Her hand dropped limply, but her harsh gaze refused to leave him, making the task only more difficult.

Refusing the urge to look in any upward direction, he parted her unzipped jacket slightly; it wasn't deep, but a slash none the less.

"Did you kill the guy for this, cuz you nearly tear my head off if I even glance at you?"

To his surprise, she gave a soft laugh.

"Nah—but he's not going to be walking for a while."

"Peh—that Leaf Nin's rubbing off on you; killing's too fun to pass up."

She winced as his palm skimmed the wound, his water cleaning away the dry and fresh blood.

But then his ear perked, hardly catching the murmured sentence drifting to no one in particular.

"One of these days, they're all going to come back…" He blinked before finding her face; distant and hurt looking, as if she wasn't there at all, her eyes the coldest he had ever seen.

And despite what he would have usually labeled "drunken blabble…"

It all had an eerie sense that made him want to shudder, which was such a rarity that he hardly fought the unexpected urge off.

"And you'll see their dead faces…what you did to them…and you'll feel so damn bad…like you don't deserve to live…"

She broke off, her eyelids slowly coming together.

And he would've denied the small feeling of empathy with a vicious jab about how stupid she sounded.

If he hadn't of seen the small trickle escape down her cheek, the other lashes trapping another tear.

Almost immediately, he knew she was confessing her own agony, her own guilt. The experiments she was to perform, the living mistakes she was to kill.

He would have never guessed any of it had ever fazed her this badly.

It was something that both shocked and perplexed him that someone he hated so much could possibly have feelings beneath all the cruelty they threw at another.

It made him want to piss her off and comfort her at the same time.

"…Hey…those were Orochimaru's orders. You obeyed, I obeyed, we all did. The point is," he paused to watch her head turn to his direction, eyes remaining closed, "is that the mother fucker's dead. It's survival of the fittest. Kill the weak for all I care."

Slowly, those scarlet orbs appeared, half lidded and even more tired than before.

"If you have the single stupidest way of saying things…how come they always make a little sense…?"

A complement? Damn—she really was hammered.

"Heh—if I'm stupid, then that must make you below retarded."

"Blah...I'm not staying here all night just to hear you lie about yourself…" she retorted, the alcohol watering down what could've been a better snap.

And suddenly, the thought of her forging her way upstairs without glasses, her front half exposed, intoxicated, and completely uncaring about the three wasn't as hilarious as he had expected.

In fact, he was a little astonished that he felt a pang of sheer "this ain't right."

That's why random acts of kindness are so random—they surprise both sides.

The second she raised to a shaky stand, his arm was under her knees, around her back, and she was slumped against his upper torso, cheek pressing to his shoulder.

And just like that, he was moving up the small flight, grumbling about how he should've let her sleep where she had fallen.

Why should he care about her? They were always bickering, always snapping and tearing at each other. In fact, he down right hated her.

And yet here they were, her conscious slowly limping back.

"Wha--?"

"Oh shut up. You're so useless that I even felt like being a little--"

He was so forgetful sometimes. All the motion had caused her jacket to part even further, till it draped over her sides.

He stared down at the pale skin of her lean stomach, the slight curves of her waist as it joined her hips. Suddenly, the cut there annoyed him.

Despite his almost instant denial, it was ruining something.

Up her neck, the column of smooth looking cream shattered by jagged bits of cherry hair.

To her face, lips slightly parted, eyes just barely ajar, but looking so far away.

And then to the bandages wrapped tightly around her chest, the one that was slowly rising and falling to her breath…

"…nice…" he hardly finished the sentence, almost choking on a rough swallow.

And too suddenly, all the darkened hues were thrown back as the cloud covering the sliver of moon finally shattered.

Even with her senses fogged, Karin jumped a little at the sudden light, her attention joining the Mist Nin's as it snapped to the large window in to the left of them.

"Weird…how the darkest state of night's… the prettiest…"

That comment snapped a nerve—it was far too close to what he had been just…observing.

Had she noticed that he had stopped? Had she somehow felt his intense gaze weighing down?

So of course, he had to do something annoying; it was the perfection of defense.

He gave the loudest and most obnoxious slurp he could on his thermos's straw.

"How can you see without your glasses, four eyes?"

How he even got the damn thing to his mouth, how he even sounded normally laidback was beyond him, but he counted it as a stroke of luck. No—a stroke of _genius_.

"Ugh…when I hava hangover tomorrow, you're gonna get it bad" the girl croaked quietly, and her head dipped into his chest again, unwillingly relenting to the tides of fatigue.

Just for that, he leapt up the last steps, jolting her painfully.

"Gah! I hate you!"

"Wouldn't have it any other way," he shot back, but much more quietly.

Juugo was on this level.

Juugo was asleep.

When Juugo is awakened, bad things happen.

Luckily, such bad things happen that even the worst of drunkards would sew their lips up just to avoid making a single hiccup, so the girl in his arms quelled her insult.

It probably would have sounded too slurred to be decipherable anyway.

Quickly opening the door was easy; stepping into the temporary room was even more so.

But laying her down was the most ridiculously awkward thing.

He lowered slowly, adjusting her light weight to the mattress as he struggled to ignore her breasts pushing into him, the brush of skin on his as he leaned down.

Oh, how simple it could have been. To just throw her on the bed, leave, and go to sleep without thinking about anything at all.

But no…she had to go and throw him into all of that crap of staying up till the bits of dawn were crawling down, and the almighty dark dictator for life had slipped his head through the door to tell him it's time to move out.

It occurred to him that as he began to drift back up that her arms had woven around his neck—it was a reminder of the lack of distrust and distance between the two, which made everything even more ironic.

Because when he went to pull away, she impulsively drew him back down, the sake in her system and the disbelief that he wouldn't pull something cruel at the last minute instantly giving the effect that he was dropping her to the floor.

The result?

His mouth came a breath away from touching hers.

Something very close to shock overwhelmingly dominated the disgust he should have felt.

It would've been so god damn simple, now that he reran the scene through his head for the umpteenth time, to have jerked back.

So why the hell…

…did he move forward?

Her chin dug back into her neck, recoiling slightly from the tiny brush, and it should've snapped him out of it.

But then her arms tightened, as if she was stuck between wanting and pushing away…

He followed the pull, giving another tentative stroke of lips.

And then after one last pause, a full both sided kiss bloomed.

Warm, and soft…something so close that it merely crumbled every thought and feeling against it.

Maybe it was what had occurred in the middle of the stairs.

Maybe it was the little bit of herself that she had always held from him given freely.

Whatever it was…

He suddenly couldn't remember anything but the way she looked with her shirt practically falling off.

Couldn't recall anything but the feeling of small acceptance of this person he usually despised when she gave that hidden self.

And he wanted more of it.

Before his mind could register it, his arms were gripping her sides, his legs against the bed as his chest pushed down on her frame, mouths moving deeply but getting closer to insistently.

Her fingers were twisting into his hair and shirt and she parted her lips even further to mix his name to the shared hot breath and tongue.

His heart gave its first thrash, and a hand unthinkingly dragged down her skin, feeling the muscles beneath straining, listening to the hitch of her breath from sliding over the forgotten cut, curling where her shorts began.

Though he would have probably never said it, he had never experienced anything like this before…

The rush of indescribable bittersweet emotions, something similar to adrenaline, frustration, and needing all overwhelmingly coming at once.

The fact that he was pretty sure she hadn't either, that he was the first to make her like this wasn't helping.

His stomach was now fully pressed to hers as she pulled at him, and it made him wonder what it would feel like without his shirt between them.

Without anything between them.

The single thought made his twisting insides clench so heatedly that his hips slipped over hers without him even realizing they had, and the desperation to be—if it was even possible—closer was sudden and crushing.

She was intoxicating to taste, but it finally struck him as he longingly did…

He was tasting sake as well.

And he pulled away far enough to still be in her grip, but far from touching elsewhere.

The next thing he knew, he was here, in his bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind painfully numb from gnawing on the whole thing for hours.

Now, at four in the freaking morning, he had found a single conclusion:

He was fighting off both tempted and unwanted thoughts.

To Suigetsu's utter surprise, the unwanted thoughts were filled with forgetting it all, denying it all...

And the tempting was brimmed of going back.


	2. Chapter 2: Too late to be clear

**A/N: I'm utterly pathetic, but hurrah! Two reviews, one fav, and I'm already jumping up and down with a new chapter for you…two (sweat drop). Whatever. I'm grateful, so this chapter's dedicated to Lucie (I really wanted to reply to your review—so nice and inspiring) and My Chemical Romance Dude. Thank you for the support and here's some more.**

**Oh, one more thing…kappa is a Japanese folk lore creature; it means "water boy." As for teme, that means "bastard." You'll get it later**.

…Did she remember…?

For once, Suigetsu was focusing on something. Something he wished he wasn't, but none the less…

Last night had been hell for him, but what had it been for her?

Had she staid up too?

Had she denied any sort of pain or upset feelings of a hangover when Dictator-Snake-Pants and Nutcase Jerk asked her if she was alright?

She seemed awfully groggy, the continuous motion of removing her glasses simply to rub at her eyes a reoccurring scene.

And he hadn't tired from it one bit, to his surprise.

But then again…sometimes his eyes would traitorously trail to that little bit of belly showing between parted jacket and shorts—

She glanced at him.

He froze, holding her stare…

A fine brow furrowed, and pure white reflecting off her lenses, she tilted her head down to look over them…

"What're you looking at, kappa-teme…?"

Her voice and the dull bite in it tore him from all sorts of thoughts.

And it was only out of instinctual habit and a lack of self control that he threw something back.

"Nothing…you're just so ugly that I'm transfixed—"

His sight vanished as a rather heavy rock splashed through his head.

She was getting better every day with that aim.

"Ugh—I'm not even going to deal with you today. Go screw yourself or something…" she muttered.

He leapt to his feet, moved away through some bushes, and shrugged it off.

But God damn it, it got right back on.

Surely, she had to remember something, right? And even if she did, she wouldn't want to even _think _about it right? So neither did he…right?

Right. Right, right, right, right, wrong—

_What…? _

He thought six rights…

_No, there was a 'wrong' in there—_

No, he had unadulterated agreement with himself that there were six rights.

_No, I'm serious—there was a wrong—_

"GOD DAMN IT, THERE WAS NOT!!!"

He stiffened, his lips pushing into his mouth until his teeth painfully bore into them.

"…What?" 

Her voice twisted into him, and he felt a shiver go down his spine just as something warm punched his stomach.

--_Her lips parted further to mix his name into shared hot breath and tongue--_

No, no, _no._

"—A…A DEAD BODY HERE!" He thrust himself into a stand before pointing to the nearest shrubbery. "It was your smell—I thought there was a dead body, because that's how horrendous it is."

It was only after she gave him the most astonished "that-was-the-lamest-one-yet" expression that it hit him how utterly stupid and bizarre this morning had become.

"What is wrong with you…" she mouthed before completely giving up, her body turning around as fingers roughly pushed through the unkempt pieces of her hair.

Her soft, silky hair—

_Stop it stop it stop it…_

He turned away and cringed at the discovery that with his next step, he felt worse.

Because even though he had never felt it before, he knew what it was.

What it had to be.

All the thinking last night, all the tossing and turning…the images of her smoothly pale flesh…it all gave him only one conclusion.

But there had to be something--

Lust—yes! That's what it was! Lust! No emotional attachment, no interest, just sheer lust. After all, he's a boy, she's a girl, she was hardly dressed and drunk last night, so he took advantage.

And not even completely! He only made out with her, that's all!

…If it hadn't been for the fact that if he truly hated her he wouldn't have done it in the first place, he would've gone with it.

After that he just couldn't take it anymore.

The confusion, the bitterness, the absolute wanting for it both to all go away and come back…

He needed to know. Now.

Know? Know what? All he needed was to have her wake him up. Slap him out of it.

Last night meant nothing, and if she said it, it wouldn't.

Right?

_Wrong_

Right.

"Ah, Karin…?" he blurted.

She found him over her shoulder and gave a squinting glare.

"What the hell do you want now?"

"About… last night…"

He stared—at least half of an emotional range passed over her face in less than three seconds.

She went from looking horrified to embarrassment before deciding on utter hatred.

"Drop it."

So she _did_ remember.

"…Ah, well…what—no, uh…"

Well shit. What was he supposed to do now?

"Spit it out al—"

"Gah-- What'd you think of it?"

Even the wind seemed to say it as a breeze twisted by: _awkkkkwwwwaaaarrrrrdddd…_

Hell, the forest around them, the creek they had unthinkingly come ankle deep in seemed silent.

"I said drop it you shit-headed bastard kappa!" she suddenly exploded, her face turning red enough to match her almost bristling hair.

"No!"

"Why the hell not!?"

"Because I can't stop thinking about it!"

Yet again, his mouth closed in on itself as both of their eyes widened.

This wasn't going well…

"Go kick Juugo in the ass and die a horrible death," she hissed.

"Damn it, bitch, I'm being serious!"

"So am I!"

And she would have strangled him if he didn't move so fast.

Hands gripping her shoulders, he jerked her back.

"Let go of me so I can send you to HELL!" she writhed in his grasp.

"Why should I!? You're not telling me something I need to hear!" he all but controlled himself from roaring.

Damn they were lucky that Authoritarian Purple Bow and Crazy-Ass had gone elsewhere.

"And what would that be!?" she snarled, fearlessly pushing closer.

"That it was nothing! That you were drunk! That I was tired! That nothing's changed!"

Why…?

Why did that no matter how many ways he could yell it out at the moment, it only made him feel more and more dreadful to hear her agree?

"FINE! I can't stand you! I've never been able to stand you and until last night, that was clear! Everything was clear! I was Sasuke's stalker, Sasuke's the leader, Juugo's the fucking psychopath and you're just in this for those ridiculous swords and that's how it was supposed to stay!"

He stared, almost unblinkingly.

Was she saying…?

…No…she wasn't.

Everything in his body, everything she was shoving at him, was telling him to keep his distance.

_There! She said it! It meant nothing!_

But since when does he listen?

He yanked her so close that they were practically in each other's faces, his desperate, hers torn between so many feelings he didn't want to see…

"What do you mean you _were _Sasuke's stalker…!? That everything _was _clear!? No, it's still clear! Do you hear me, bitch, it's STILL CLEAR--!" 

"BUT IT'S NOT!!!" she cried, her fists balling against his chest as she slumped.

"…It's not…"

His horrified silence filled the thin spaces between them.

For a moment, all he could do was watch her fall into something dangerously weak…

And then, just as he had last night…

Her watching, just the way she had…

He swallowed thickly.

And pulled away.

It wasn't until Team Hebi met up again…

Wasn't until after dinner…

Wasn't until he had slipped between thin sheets…

That he could focus on it.

And yet again, he fell into another conclusion, this one not nearly as shocking as the first.

He shouldn't have done that.

He should've staid…

Should've asked her if she wanted to make sure nothing was clear.

Should've held her against him and not let go in the least bit.

…Should've made her call him again, make the others wonder where they were…

He remembered now, how lost she looked when he dared to glance back.

Panting slightly, trembling a little, head hanging in some sort of pain…

…The same pain he was in now.

"God…" he grumbled, pushing from the mattresses rest his face into his hands. Never…never before yesterday night had he ever felt pity, guilt.

Especially not for _her._

She was right…it was supposed to stay that way.

But it hadn't.

And he knew very well it wouldn't.

**I already have chapter three ready to go, but it's all up to how the review button is used to decide that, right (I aim to please, not to irritate…)?**


	3. Chapter 3: The opposite of hate

**A/N: Yeah! Three people! I don't care if my story has three or a million, you guys make my day with reviews. So of course, more. This chapter's dedicated to Shadows08, My Chemical Romance Dude, Lucie, and to whoever wants to be nice with a review.**

He had killed thousands of men. Curse marked freaks, intruding shinobi, bastards who dared to get into his face in any sense. He had lived in solitude of being cramped within a cylinder lost within a darkly abandoned room. And he had even stared back into Sasuke's horrendous gaze.

He had bravely—alright, maybe not the last one, because his bladder almost emptied at the very glimpse of it—stood before all of it, laughing it off with some crude remark or another.

So why couldn't he knock on the god damn door...? What the hell was he even doing here, latched to the floor outside of Karin's temporary door with his fist half raised like some brain dead—

"What the hell are you doing here…?"

If she weren't so pissed off, she would have struggled back laughter at his girlish shriek.

And if he weren't in such a lame internal struggle, he would've been much gladder to have been startled by an enemy without his sword than this sadly irritated girl.

Quickly standing from his defensive crouch, Suigetsu wondered—only for a second, of course—if he should smile or make fun of her or…or something.

But like noted it was only for a second. Half a second, realistically.

"Can I come in?" he blurted.

She blinked with a slightly startled jolt, and for a moment, he thought he had knocked her off with the question.

But then he saw the flecks of red on her glasses.

Blood…?

"Your lip's bleeding, idiot," she murmured, removing them for a squinty-eyed scrutinize.

Almost immediately, his fingers were in front of his eyes, staring at the crimson smeared on their tips. He must've unthinkingly bitten them while fighting for another conclusion.

"Ah…sorry—"

"No, you can't…" He watched numbly as she gave her lenses a quickly clean from the end of her shirt.

Sliding them back on with a single finger, she moved past him to open her door, enter, and then keep it open, her body staying nearby in the darkened room. It was midnight, after all.

"…Well?"

Yet again, she startled him.

"But…you said I couldn't—"

"I changed my mind."

Oh, because he can _really_ read the mind of a girl when he couldn't even figure out his own.

But he kept silent, choosing to instead to nurse his small wound and pride.

Well God damn it…her smell had already dominated most the room.That mixture of something he couldn't place…spice and something sweet, with fluctuations of an impulsive cleansing…

He loved it, and hated that he loved it.

The door shut. The light came to life. And there she stood, in the exact same pose as the first time they had been reunited through Uchiha; hand posed on the hip she was leaning her weight on, face edged up so her glare would be even more intensified.

"So? What the hell do you want?"

"…"

What could he possibly know?

The things he had told himself to say were out of his mind, somewhere in the dark corners of the room he had left for _this_. Suddenly, he ached for the presence of his sword against his back—at least he'd feel a bit less powerless.

"I—"

"Hang on—you're going to spit your filthy blood everywhere; besides, Sasuke-sama'll think I busted it or something…"

Sasuke…sama? Caring what this "Sasuke-Sama" thought of almost instantly…?

Oh no.

She…was she—did she?

It hit him just as hard as the sudden thought; Could she have gone back to worshipping the Leaf Nin?

Almost instantly as the nasty twitch in his chest came the retaliation.

_It would make things easier. We could go back to having nothing…we would be enemies again…_

SLAP.

The wet rag hit his face and his lip stung. So did his eyes. And his nostrils. She must've put something on it.

"Gack! You trying to kill me, bitch!?" he snarled, tearing it away.

"It's an antibiotic. We can't have you useless because of some lame lip infection, can we…?" she muttered, her shirt carelessly unzipped down the front as she tore away the old bandage.

Her cut looked as fresh as it had from the night she had received it.

…But everything was fresh from that night, wasn't it?

A sharp flash of movement demanded his attention as she whipped out a new piece of gauze.

Her movements, her bitterly forced calm tone…

She was _pissed_. At him, of course; never in a million years had he ever thought of being upset at this.

His head turned away, eyes fixing on the floor rather than her exposed skin.

_Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it…_

"…What're you doing up, anyway?"

Lame? Yes. But it was the only thing he could think off.

"I could ask you the same, you know."

Damn her quickness.

It came before he could stop it—somehow, it slipped into his throat and leapt without looking from his mouth. Ironically, that was from all the times he had to stay on his feet with verbal battles against her.

"Go ahead."

Her form stilled in the corner of his eye, and the boy found that she had paused in applying a new white strip over the blaring red line in her white flesh. Her mouth opened with a mixture of unplaced anger and curiosity, but closed.

Before all of his sudden hope could vanish, she spoke.

"Fine…what're you doing up…?"

He swallowed, but the words didn't go down.

"I…I've been thinking."

"That's rare—about what?"

Okay, now she was just challenging him.

But he wouldn't take the easy way out.

Not this time, not after it had failed to bring what he needed.

It took everything he could muster, but it struggled past his teeth.

"You."

The noise of her zipper being pushed up stopped too quickly, and the silence in the room was enough to kill him right then and there.

But then there was the sound of water bursting from the faucet as she rolled her sleeves up, unthinkingly saving him as she washed her hands.

His gaze flickered up to unexpectedly clash with hers, and both of them unflinchingly fought to keep it there before she lost, dragging hers back down--

"You didn't even use that damn rag."

_What?_

"Are you fu—"

In a single stride of motion she was in front of him, pressing the wet cloth to his mouth.

"Do I have to do everything around here? You underestimated how much you bit through it—that's a pretty decent blood flow."

It was a lie—the cut was small, it had given a single trickle, and she was trying to find that damn easy route.

Well, they were about to take the traffic, whether she liked it or not. Suigetsu lunged to his feet, yanking her hand away.

"I said are you fucking kidding me!? Didn't you hear what I just said!?"

And then, he was struggling vainly as her headlock held him firmly down, the rag crushed to his jaw.

_If it weren't for all those years of kicking prisoner ass back into cells, she wouldn't have a chance damnit!_

"Fucking with you?! _Fucking with you!?_ You're fucking with me, damn it! Why the hell won't you leave me alone you idiotic teme!?"

At the harsh sound of the last word crashing, he used a burst of strength to break free, his body slamming hers against the wall as he held her wrists captive.

The side of his face pressed against the cold surface, he quickly rammed the one sentence into her ear that would definitely stop her knee from meeting his groin:

"Do you want Juugo and Sasuke coming to see what all the commotion is about?! Shut the hell up!"

Her leg froze in mid kick but he waited until it was absolutely down before he even dared to moved back an inch.

She was huffily giving him the evilest glare he had received since Uchiha's.

And something close to rage broke through him.

He was so tired of being frustrated, so sick of having all of it hang over his head with a weight heavy enough to drown him.

"You're the one messing with _my_ head! All I wanted was to go to sleep tonight, but _no_, you had to go and get stuck so far in my brain that I can't pull you out! Why do you think I annoyed you so much today?! Why do you think I asked all of those questions!?" he hissed, his nails dully digging into her.

"I don't know! You're the stupid-ass kappa!" she practically roared.

Because she was sick and tired of it too. He knew it somewhere in his mind, but it was too clouded with all the irritations to shine.

"You do too know! I know you know! You _have _to know, because you still haven't told me!"

He wasn't even thinking now.

And why should he?

"Stop fogging my glasses!"

"_What_?! To hell with your glasses!"

"To hell with _you_!!!"

"Why!?"

"Because you walked away!"

Something warm splattered against his cheek, fragments of the moisture dividing to meet other places. He knew quite well what it was…

And yet he gave a dumbfounded stare, his jaw somewhat ajar. Because her expression was crumbling into a weakness he had seen that cursed and blessed night, that he had seen earlier today.

But both were to such a less degree than this…

Her mouth quivering, eyes welling as they closed halfway, her breath shattering…

And Karin slid from his grip, and sank to a slumped sit.

He fell a step back, eyes fixated on her trembling form, her struggle to stay as quiet and composed as possible before helplessly losing.

What felt like years ago he would've felt triumph.

Would've rolled his eyes, containing his merciless glee…

But that was before…

Now, the guilt of someone who had just hit someone defenseless, someone too small and scared, crushed his chest.The fear of doing something to an existence too fragile he would never be forgiven for, the sheer pangs of self loathing…

It was much worse than any impatience, than any dislike or sleepless night.

She had given him the answer, and it only made things worse.

But he had gotten her to reply…

And he had pushed them into that damned hard trail.

So who was he to not to pull them out?

Despite this supposed strength bringer, his knees knelt to the ground.

His arms rose halfway, hesitating more than the words hanging around.

"Karin…"

"Go…" She was trying so hard to sound rightfully angry. A single hand left her face to shove at his shoulder, but she was somehow lacking that usual hatred…

Still, it hit him below the belt.

But…

He wasn't walking away this time.

He pried her hands away before taking off her glasses, and those blearily red eyes were too hurt to stand.

"Don't say…" he grumbled, "things you don't mean…"

His arms amazingly wove around her.

And pushed her into a tight hug.

The remainder of tears flooded the crook of his neck, her fists balled against his chest as she curled onto herself, and against him.

It was such a strange joy…

To know she was feeling the same way…to know that he had hurt her by putting distance between them, and that she had been battling it back with everything she could and then some only to fall…

"What do you want…?" she whispered, her voice so thick with something neither of them could truly identify.

Suigetsu was only good with words if it came to verbal abuse…

Now obviously wasn't that time…

So he replied the only way he could.

His finger curled under her chin, tilting up.

And leaning into her, pushing her further back, his mouth covered hers insistently.

It was habit for him to be rough—his lips crushed against hers, his tongue forcing it's way in to her silenced whimper.

And instead of sake, he tasted the solitary tear that had made its way to her soft and warm sweetness, reminding him exactly what he was feverishly keeping between the wall and his body.

This girl…the one he was supposed to hate, the one who was supposed to hate him back…

Did she understand that this was his apology?

Did she know that this was his confession?

Did she realize that he was in the same turmoil?

The thoughts softened his violent affection a bit, and a hand splayed against his jaw…

Red strands split from his parted fingers as she slowly responded, giving in and giving forth her own deep need.

And it wasn't before long her back was sinking to the floor, his body pressing down.

The world swung at their sudden heated intimacy, and he found with a sharp, shuddering thrill that she was kissing him just as hard. It felt deliriously good.

A low sound escaped him, and his hands dragged down her body, fingers twisting into the cloth of her shirt as he pulled himself nearer.

They had been too far for far too long—the only thing left_ was_ to get impossibly closer.

And as they entangled even further, she did it again.

"Suigetsu…"

It was that breathless moan. That call that both gave and took from him everything he was yearning for.

But this time it was so much different.

In this moment he was lost in, he could hear something in those three syllables…

Something like desperation…something passionately wanting…

Something heavy that he wouldn't mind carrying… In _his_ name he heard…the complete opposite of every bit of hate she had ever felt for him…

And that was the true answer.

He felt the small bitterness before he had even pulled away, just to where their mouths were barely meeting…

Something aching in his lower half told him they might be getting a little too "close."

Her lost gaze found his before she swallowed thickly, forehead leaning up to touch his as she battled back a fierce blush. His muscles gave a hot clench when he realized she was trying to regain her breath beneath him.

Because it was at that point that he knew it as a bona fide fact…

The feeling was definitely mutual.

"So…you want _me_…?" she suddenly asked.

He jerked back a bit to a very love bitten smile, almost resembling a twisted smirk.

"I…" The words screeched and skidded into a flaming pile-up in his throat at that look; it wouldn't make any sense to try and untangle them.

So Suigetsu pulled the rarity—he hid. Slipping his head under her chin and into her neck, he pressed his mouth there.

"I'm supposed to hate you…" he muttered against soft skin, and a blush burned his cheeks. Flattering? No. Meaningful to the both of them? Incredibly.

He tried to take a breath, but her scent filled his lungs.

Really…did she need to smell that damn good?

She shifted, and he could feel her smile pushing down into his scalp, her hands cupping the sides of his head.

"Yeah…" she murmured before inhaling so deep that he fell lost listening, his arms tightening.

**Jeez, I didn't mean to make it this long. -- But hey, hugs to those who put up with it! I hope I didn't make this the dreadful mushy, but there's a lot of emotional ground to cover between two who hate each other. Reviews make this easier to think and write of! **


	4. Chapter 4: Warmer than warm

**A/N: This was kind of inspired by the song, "The Grey Room," by Damien Rice. It kind of reminded me of these two—in fact, it has the title of this chapter in its lyrics. This part took me a million years to think up of…I was so desperate on trying to figure out where to go with this, and then I got all worried that I'm pushing this story too long and argh…but here it is. This one's for My Chemical Romance Dude, Iia, Shadows08—you guys really made my day with those reviews. **

The steel of his thick sword was frigid enough to chill him through the cloak he wore, and it continuously washed down his spine in shuddering rivers.

"Shit…" he growled, watching the breath before him puffing into a visible white fog.

He had always despised the cold. The way it crept into his deepest insides, to the point of no escape…he couldn't stand it.

The fact he was made of water and the two simply didn't mix only made things more difficult, something that his slow movements were constantly reminding him off.

He was at least several feet behind everyone else. _Damn tree branch hopping! Damn it to hell! Yes… think of hell…that's supposed to be a really hot place—fuck!_

Sasuke had suddenly veered off the right, the other two closely behind.

Almost missing the turn, Suigetsu cursed loudly before following—the faster jolts of that move had ached.

_The hell…? Another hotel…? This soon?_

Stumbling inside, he eyed the place—it looked as if it had been closed for a bit. There wasn't a single soul in sight.

Sweet--no paying.

"What are we doing here…?"  
He drifted off, realizing that the team was now facing him with looks that said he should already know.

"Seriously, do you guys coordinate these stare downs or something—?"

"You were moving slower than usual," their dark leader stated bluntly. "Do you need rest?"

"I was not and do not!" he all too quickly threw. He couldn't help but glancing at Karin.

She tilted her head down to find him over her glasses, arms crossed. _You should listen. _He glared. _Hell no._

"This is cold territory," Juugo murmured, his heavily steel gaze wandering the empty space. "If you're not feeling well now, it'll be even worse trying to get deeper."

"Did your little animal friends tell you that before you stomped on them? I'm fine." And simply out of habit, he snatched his thermos to his mouth.

"Suigetsu…" Sasuke warningly started, his black eyes giving a challenged flash.

"I'm fine…" he protested, spitting out the water; it had nearly frozen into a sludge of ice that had just about given him frostbite.

"This can't be good for you," the avenger calmly insisted. "If we get some more sleep, tomorrow will be a more productive day. We're going to be heading into a pretty big town."

The Uchiha watched as the sword bearer's gaze leapt behind him to give a look that resembled the need for support, but as quick as it had happened, Suigetsu seemed to dismiss such a thing.

Grumbling quite the colorful sentence, he stiffly stalked down the hall.

And Sasuke's eyes flicked to where he knew the other boy's eyes had landed to feel a small tinge of surprise; Karin was there.

He slammed the nearest door shut, his pupils flickering about the room. Small, with a single window on its blank walls.

And of course, that damned little window emphasized the dark grey tumbling across the skies, the darkened earth hardly resembling afternoon.

As if that very sight gave magnitude, his sword slipped to clank onto the ground; it had become a little too heavy.

His muscles had tightened over shaky limbs and ice feeling bones, his skin crawling with shivers as he sat on the stiff (and of course _cold_) bed, back pushing against the wall it was tightly partnering.

Cold shocks of pain flitted about his system, and he closed his eyes against it, his head drooping down.

He hated this…being weak, having hardly anything in his control. It pissed him off almost as much as giving mercy.

_What's the point of traveling this much if I've got to be the one slowing us down…?_

He almost actually preferred when Juugo began to slip out of control, or when Sasuke was injured. As long as he was still standing, the situation was perfect.

Another bite of throbbing icy sting, and he curled in on himself, mentally cursing the minutes away.

And simply for the lack of anything to think of or do, he decided he wasn't going to sleep. He'd show the bastards then.

Behind his eyelids, he yelled at Karin for not backing him up. Because one of those feelings that screamed he had been refused or betrayed was devouring off of the fact that she hadn't tried to convince them otherwise, even after the look he had given her.

And even though it was also a fact that somewhere behind a fog of fatigue and frigidness, he knew perfectly well they were looking after him, he hated them for it.

He didn't need anyone's help. If he wanted to push himself, he should be damn well able to.

With that sad resentment, the next hour felt like a thousand years, and despite his utter loathing of anyone seeing him this way, he was almost hatefully happy to hear someone approaching. Maybe then there could be some noise to break this stupid silence. Maybe then they'd see he was fine and change their minds.

The door gave a quiet hiss as it opened, and his head snapped up, a harsh word already jumping to his throat.

But he managed to swallow it, as tough as that was, because it was only Karin cocking her head, an almost pensive look about her.

"What do _you_ want?" he grumbled, a weak glare finding the girl nearby the closed door. She already knew.

"Oh come on—you were seriously lagging behind today…"

It sounded like a conversation they would have had a week ago; his bitterness, her retort. But he knew that there was a gentle undertone of what had happened in the last few days, a concern she was hiding for him and only him.

Too bad he wasn't at all in the mood.

"Shut up," he snapped in a mutter. "If Uchiha's letting me sleep, then I'm going to."

"Someone's in a bad mood," she said indigently, her eyes rolling off whatever little bite his tone had managed to hold. "Besides, if you really wanted to sleep, you'd be so already, not sitting there looking like some ugly ass statue."

Giving a growled huff, he twisted around to face the wall, ignoring the small sense that she had the upper hand.

"Meh…" His growl was a muffled warning as he felt her sit next to him on the mattress.

"Oh shut up."

"Ladies first."

And as she gave his huddled form a quirk of her eyebrow, a slightly strained smile appearing. He really was just a little boy sometimes. Always wanting to be the best in the most obnoxious of ways.

But like she was really going to let that stop her.

Suigetsu's eye swiveled to its corner as she moved. Was she leaving?

No…she was shifting behind him, fingers gripping his shoulders and tugging downwards to besides where she now lay.

"What're you doing…?"

His spine gave a sharp, surprised jolt as heat suddenly pressed against it, arms slipping around his chest and pulling him back and onto his side.

And thick warmth covered him as her cloak settled around both of them, her embrace firm.

"This has to be colder for you than me," he dimly stated to the wall, only imagining how it felt to hold a freezing body of cold liquid; he hated it when people did things for him. He was a skilled shinobi, damn it. Hadn't he just gotten over mentally complaining about this?

"I don't care—your chakra's low," she murmured. "Besides…" He almost felt her grin. "…Maybe I like the cold." A repressed blush prickled underneath the skin of his neck and face as her cheek nuzzled to his, her chin softly digging into his shoulder.

But then again he certainly was warmer.

"You're crazy if you like something like that…" he grumbled, but found himself relaxing an inch or two anyway, closing his eyes to her lips brushing his temple.

She sighed into his ear, and he struggled not to shudder as her legs curled against the back of his, and it wasn't from the cold air.

She really had to stop doing that.

Losing to her wasn't something in the past exactly yet. Maybe that (and the freaking cold) was what was making him so easily bothered today.

"It's starting to snow…"

A single teal eye opened, a tinge of disappointment ebbing away some of his disgruntled bliss. If it was (and it was) then he was really going to hate moving out in the morning.

Speaking of which, just where had the others slipped off to…?

He most certainly did not want to be caught this comfortable with his supposed enemy.

"They're further away than you think."

A small bit of laughter escaped from the mouth pressed to his ear as he jumped.

How the _hell_ did she know?

_Don't tell me women can read minds, too…_

He found this to his dull irritation as well. Emphasis on dull. "Cut it out…I'm sleepy…" he growled. It wasn't an exaggeration—the Mist Nin found it incredibly hard to even consider opening his eyes.

The frigid cold slowed him down, but escaping from it into the warm tenderness she was offering was something that pulled him out all together.

"Okay, okay…I'll let you sleep…" She gave his skin a final kiss before snuggling her nose into his nape.

And he couldn't help but appreciate it.

Her strength against his battering begrudges, her almost bizarre nursing, the fact that she wasn't mocking (too much) him for any of this when she had more than enough ammo… Maybe… he really did have someone. And maybe he liked it.

Settling himself more comfortably into her, he let a hand drift up to gently grasp one of the arms hugging him. And before he completely slipped away felt, to his small surprise, her heart beating against his back give a quicker thump.

**The next chapter (if you guys want it—again, I don't want to push a story too much) kind of gets more serious with the idea I have in mind. They are on a dangerous mission, after all. What's that, review button? You want to know if they liked it? So do I…wink, wink, nudge, nudge.**


	5. Chapter 5: Venom

**A/N: Sorry about taking so long, but this took me longer than expected—it's opened a million possibilities up for me here, but writing it down well enough to please my obsessive inner writing demons was horrendous. I'm thinking about fixing up the last chapter; I'm feeling uncomfortable about certain parts. **

**Anywho, this one's dedicated to My Chemical Romance Dude, Iia (thanks for pointing out Karin's OCness-ess-es; I really want to avoid doing that type of stuff, so I'm seriously appreciative! ), Graviola, Shadows08, Sugarsnake, Louiemoto, and Lucie. Heck yeah! Seven people! I'm on a roll XD!**

"Do you think we'll be able to leave soon?"

"That depends—can we count on you not becoming an utter weakling?"

Yes, yesterday they had shared something gentle and warm. And he knew that beneath all of the turmoil he had been suffering, it had built on to what he was already feeling.

But that was yesterday. And this was today.

"Bitch."

"Kappa-teme."

"Brain deprived wench."

"Water sucking freak."

"Four eyes."

She stopped, shoulders stiffening as she slowly turned to glare.

"You went too far there."

He blinked—it was the lamest one he could possibly throw out, and yet she still looked remotely bitter as she moved on.

But like he cared.

He had rummaged around enough to find warmer clothes.

He had slept most of yesterday.

And he had just won the third argument of the day.

Hell yeah.

So it was naturally what he had to do by following her; maybe he could break his record and win the inevitable fourth.

It had absolutely nothing to do with that tiny feeling of wanting to be near her. He blamed that on something he couldn't put his finger on at the moment.

"So what's up with this place—it's completely empty."

"I don't know—you'd think with the cold weather someone would be coming in…"

His ears perked at her tone.

"You don't like it here?"

She shrugged halfway, adjusting her lenses with the push of her finger.

It was all he had to stop himself from dragging out the word nerd.

"I don't like the situation of being the only ones around here…it's too…" She searched for a word briefly, giving her hand a small wave.

"Too "trap-like."

"Trap-like?"

"Yeah, you know the drill—no one else around, perfectly good place; it just feels like someone's going to burst in here any second and go, "We've got you now, _bitch_."

Suigetsu gave a bark of laughter, teal eyes rolling.

"Worst impression of a hostage-holder I've ever heard; you're the only person I know who can suck so bad at everything in life. Pathetic."

"Pathetic? Please—look whose talking. You've been following me around like a sick puppy."

"A sick puppy whose won every argument so far?" he stated without even taking a breath.

_Come on number four!!!_

She opened her mouth to retort, her index finger posed in the "I'd like to state something so smart-ass-like that I'll win" motion, but he had already seen this coming.

He immediately cut her off, his mouth pushing to hers for a single kiss.

And despite it simply being used as leverage, he enjoyed the short and warming sensation.

He pulled back to his original stance just as quickly as he had moved in simply to watch her stutter, a small red tinge brushing her cheek.

And it had the potential of being nice, but he had to ruin it.

"Ha! No retort in at least five seconds! I win again!"

Now she was completely flustered, rapidly adjusting her glasses.

"Damn it, that's cheating! I win by default--!!! Hey, are you listening!?"

Suigetsu tuned her out and strolled away, only turning back once to give, in her opinion, a ridiculously stupid smirk.

She glowered at the door he had moved through before giving up with an exasperatedly frustrated sound, throwing her arms up in sore defeat as she walked back the way they had come.

Losing to him wasn't at all something in the past for her.

"I'm going to castrate that little bastard…"

--

"Captain?"

"Yes?"

"We've got them in perfect positions. The two they call Karin and Suigetsu are on opposite sides of the lower floor. Uchiha Sasuke is somewhere on the middle, and Juugo's on the highest."

"Perfect…" A smile slowly twisted itself across the elite's face, and he stood.

"Remember—our employer has quite the pay on their heads, but he wants to know things. We want to question this merry band of bastards before we kill them…make sure that payment comes in full."

"What if they're more powerful than he let on?"

Dark eyes peered maliciously from beneath the dully shining headband, and an ever darker grin bred from the Wave shinobi's curved mouth.

"Then put what I just said in reverse. Besides…" The needle held between his two fingers shimmered.

"These will make them _real_ cooperative."

--

_Hmm?_

Karin's senses gave a tiny jerk.

_That's not familiar chakra…and it's large in number._

Then again, it was snowing, and there's always that group of people who want to head in.

_Still…they're incredibly close…maybe we should at least—_

She blinked.

There were suddenly two men in the room, kunai drawn.

"We've got you now, _bitch_."

--

Sasuke's eyes almost listlessly traveled between the two shinobi in front of him.

"Wave Country's a pretty far place to travel from to kill us. What'd Team Hebi do to deserve such an honor?"

Two more slipped from the shadows, both wielding almost crude weaponry as they stalked an unsure looking Juugo.

The Uchiha moved back until their backs were barely touching.

"Good—I don't have to go looking for you. If you're going to really lose it, give me a head's up."

Sasuke felt the massive teammate give his head a sharp nod as even more filtered from the darker corners, red already blooming in his black orbs.

--

Suigetsu heard the door slam open.

_Ha…who's the sick, possibly rabid, puppy now…?_

He turned around with something like a grin growing on his face, the number five dancing in his mind—

BAM.

Head snapping back and body quick to follow, the Mist prodigy somehow recovered just in time, catching himself and lurching back fast enough to have his attacker leap back.

Two figures crouched before him, shuriken drawn.

_Well, she might be ugly, but she's not this ugly…_

Sharp steel tore through the air, barely missing him as his fist crushed into the nearest gut, foot kicking a leg hard enough to let loose a crack.

They fell and more came to amply replace them.

_Like Sasuke's going to be counting…_

His hand fell back to grip the long hilt and he gave a single swing--

A large "thunk" resonated throughout the hall, his arm jerking to an almost painful stop.

_Wha--?_

The men before him who had recoiled sharply at the mere glimpse of the sword's massive size stared almost covetously, wild dogs staring at their now stuck prey.

Despite knowing dreadfully well what had happened, his gaze followed theirs—

The walls were too narrow…his blade was caught insanely deep.

_Shit_.

He flung back as smaller but just as lethal katana swung down, his mind racing.

How the hell is he supposed to slaughter them to pieces now--!?

_Oh, wait…Duh!_

One of the Wave boys snarled. What the hell could his target be so cocky about, what with that ridiculously stupid smirk…?

_This ought to teach him_…

He waited till the Hebi member shifted his weight to dodge again before giving a last minute plunge of his blade—

A splash echoed to his ears…

And it wasn't blood.

The blade was straight through the pale teen, but he showed not a single sign of weakness, his shirt slightly rippling around it like a stone had dropped through water.

Suigetsu let the smallest bit of arrogant laughter slip at the men's horrified faces before crashing through them.

With enough momentum, he managed to jerk his sword free, sheathing it has he spun on his heel, and keeping in mind to bring it down straight—

Blood splattered on the walls, and they crumpled to the ground.

"Koji! Gin!"

Suigetsu turned over his shoulder. _That must've been these morons' names, and that must be their friends._

Another grin flowed forth, and his bangs fell across darkening eyes, a dripping weapon rising.

--

_There's definitely a lot more than these bastards…_

Karin gingerly stepped over the groaning assailants. Blood stained her clothes _way_ too easily.

Her eyes slid shut…

_Looks like Sasuke and Juugo are fine...they're moving to the top floors. More of them there, but I doubt anything's going to stop them._

_Some moving in nearby…I'll keep my eye out…_

Like she _needed_ to see if Suigetsu wasn't being the normal merciless asshole.

But she found herself doing it anyway, because the concern for him was so new that it surprised her enough each time.

…_Well, isn't he having a field-day—_

Pain tore through her leg so harshly that her knee hit the ground, a tremor racking her body…

"Shit!"

Pushing off as hard as she could, she rammed the door adjacent to her open before slamming it shut, listening as millions of something obviously dangerous whistled keenly through the air.

They apparently didn't care about their own—sharp cries reached to her, muffled through the door her back pressed so insistently to.

It wasn't that she felt bad about the dying enemy. She just didn't like that they were willing to kill their own to get rid of Hebi.

_What the hell did we do now?! And who the hell are these crazies…!? Whoa…_

…That move shouldn't have made her so light-headed.

Her head almost gladly fell down as she scanned her thigh, narrowing on a tiny glint.

A lone needle was digging in deep, bits of crimson flecking its cool metal.

"God damn it…"

A sudden tremble and she unthinkingly slid down, her heart beginning to pound in thin flits of panic.

She had been around enough weaponry to know it was _definitely_ coated with something, one that was acting instantly.

_The faster they work, the longer they take to finish…_

She winced, teeth clenched as she tore the senbon out, her breath already starting to wedge.

_Ngh…_

One eye closed against the beginning dull throbs, but the other held its glare at the shadows in front of her.

Because there was another door there, no doubt leading in from another hall.

_Kami, someone's already coming…oh for crying out—of course it's the fucking elite…_

She had left her only kunai in the now dead threat outside, and there was no way she was going to help the damn thing spread with physical combat.

Luckily, she wasn't one for being stupid.

The girl jerked her head down hard enough to slip her glasses off into her open palm, ignoring the resulting sharp pangs in her temple.

Clutching them as tightly as possible, she slipped her hand under her cloak, hoping it would look like she was gripping a wound to her side.

The footsteps were quiet enough for her to strain to hear as they lightly approached the door.

--

Sasuke had to say that he was indeed grateful.

Juugo hadn't cracked once through the twenty or so they had brought down.

_A new record…_

"Are you holding up well?"

The origin of the curse mark spread across the avenger's own skin nodded, the strain in his eyes visible but not at all as bad as it usually shone.

"Good—we'll keep moving up before we fight our way back down. That way, we'll make sure we've rid of all of them."

"How do you suppose Karin and Suigetsu are faring?"

"Well enough— Suigetsu must be having a field day. We haven't fought like this in a while," the Uchiha replied through a disapproving tug of lips.

He wouldn't be surprised to see the hotel flooding with blood.

--

_Look's like we got the she-wolf of the pack…_

The girl before him was leaning against the door on the other side of the room, her crimson eyes glazed but still holding quite the ferocity.

_And she's been hit, too. Good—it'll make things simple. _

"Karin, I believe…?"

Damn…her vision was never this bad without her glasses.

Whatever was flooding her system was moving perfectly despite the usually necessary movement.

"So you guys _aren't_ raving lunatics and you studied."

The air limping in and out of her lungs miraculously didn't affect her tone, and she gave what she knew was a controlled look. _I guess all those glare-offs with kappa-teme are paying off…_

"Well, aren't we holding up?" There was a definite hint of disappointment. "I was told you were hit by a least one of those needles. Glad you moved in time, because two would've knocked you into half-life."

_Fuck—_

Pain twisted through her, and it took all she had to not double over, forcing herself to swallow what tasted like upcoming blood. But he must've seen the flinch in her eyes, the quick slip of a very fragile wall.

She jolted at their sudden proximity, his form crouching near hers.

Somehow, the kunoichi repressed the savage need to cough or let loose the startled noise.

Because the grin he was wearing was one of someone who had caught quite the prize.

"We had to. A client has promised us a generous pay to rid of you, and we certainly found a snake in the grass—you've got quite the list of sins."

"Like what? The most we've done is wasted someone's time—"

Something in her clipped sentence made him snap, and the tension exploded so suddenly that she recoiled.

"Out of the all the villages you've been in, forty-five killings stands out in all!"

Her turn.

"Forty-five _fucking_ killings!? _Forty-five!!!???_" She knew Suigetsu had been sneaking them in, but come on now!

He withdrew for a half second from her sudden outrage, surprised she still had enough of it to roar, but he was right back.

"Yeah, and it's the tip of the iceberg…"

Something wasn't adding up—his tone, his words, her predicament.

"Then why the hell are you keeping me alive?" she all but stopped from blurting, and because of it's unexpectance she hadn't had time to keep pained strain from her voice.

"I'm not," he growled, and the two words wrapped tightly in her chest before spilling down her spine, nauseating fear conjured.

He flipped his hand and she flinched—

Luckily, her eyes were faster than her reflexes. She managed to stop the mad jolt before it could shoot her hidden hand forward, the reflection of another senbon between his middle and index surely seen in her wary eye.

"But I can…this is the cure," he muttered in an all but comforting tone.

"What the hell would another needle do…?" The false scare shattered her tenor into a breathless, high press between clenched teeth, the alarm white and hot as it set her racing blood on fire.

_Shit—don't panic. Accelerated heartbeat isn't going to help keeping it from taking you out!_

It was too late. The effects had already been strengthening, and as her head threw down, eyes and jaw squeezed shut against the rushes and stabs of sudden and battering agony, she felt trickles of warm crimson escaping her lip.

It was unsurpassable—every bit of her earlier adrenaline was being burned out on the spot, her limbs feeling undeniably useless. Tears welled in her eyes as it receded the tiniest only to swell massively back.

She almost heard the smirk slowly etching across the shinobi's expression…

She almost let the glasses slip from her fingertips as a shudder tore itself through her, her body imploring to fully collapse, to beg--

…_Suigetsu…_

It came from nowhere… half pleading and half cursing.

And somehow…it was tugging at her to go back. From a distance, she could feel the self disgust of letting it drive her…

If she had been strong enough to think of denial, she would've told herself it was only because he would surely snicker at her burial.

She clutched the improvised weaponry tightly, making sure their handles were folded in her fist so that the lenses lay above her knuckles…

And Karin forced herself back up in one fluid motion, biting back the bitter torrent she was struggling against.

Her captor was harder to see, but his cruel impatience wasn't.

"This is the cure," he repeated, knowing well enough that the bouts of pain had deafened his instructions. "If you keep answering my questions, I'll keep giving it to you in small doses. If things go my way," he paused to casually switch the thin steel to his other hand, "then you won't have to experience _that_ again."

Somehow, the fog of it all wasn't thick enough to stop her desperate thinking, her sudden will.

_Get him pissed…distract him…just enough to kill him and get that stupid thing…_

"Ask me…" she stopped to inhale, which was so painful she almost choked, "In hell…"

"…What?" It was an almost incredulous laugh, but one who ended with something gravely serious. He didn't like to play around. Good.

"You heard me—"

Her right wrist almost disconnected in his grip when he rammed it to the wall, painfully outstretching her arm. Not good.

An angry and hurt noise slipped from her constricting throat, but the refusal to be weak was too large now to even dare being compliant to the turmoil inside. Her refusal to not be in the control she liked to have her life in was coming back.

All of it blooming from one little word. Suigetsu.

"Fine. Maybe I can convince you otherwise." It was anger spat through clenched teeth, and almost immediately a pang of dread knotted her gut. This was about to get impossibly worse…

The cure had left his fist, its substitute surprisingly clear to see—a kunai.

And suddenly, the urge to kill him was big enough to throw her back from being stunned, from being anchored to the wall and ground with that heavy, horrible torture.

_Now—!_

He moved faster, and she didn't need to see it to know.

The blade slipped between her elbow and limb, tearing past veins and muscle and skin to dig into the wall behind it.

Her eyes widened as the blood exploded, as the agony and terror came roaring and crushing—

A long and loud sound broke from her, almost foreign to her own ears as she impulsively wrenched her hidden hand forward…

--

Her scream drove itself straight into Suigetsu's ears, canceling out the slosh of a body giving way to his enormous blade.

Almost instantly, his mind registered it, but not faster than the sudden lurching chill down his spine.

Really, she had to stop sending him all of these new emotions. Because never in his life had he felt so absolutely horrified by a single noise.

**I only hate cliff-hangers when I'm reading them… XD. But don't worry: **

**I'm sssooo updating a lot quicker than I did this time.**

**Review Button: Bum Bum Bum! Oh jee, I guess they'll have to click me if they want to know what happens…**

**Me: I think I just ruined it, actually.**

**Review Button: DAMN YOU!!!**

**Me: Argh! Not my hands! **_**I need those**_**! Well don't just sit there! Click to distract him!!!**


	6. Chapter 6: Pendulum

**A/N: Well I totally lied when I said I'd update sooner (hits self harshly on head). Ow…anywho, this was uploaded as soon as possible, believe it or not, due to the fact that it's hard to please my inner writing demons.**

**This one's dedicated to Iia (Suika dance), My Chemical Romance Dude, Graviola, Lucie (Yay! You came back! 3), DeliriumButterfly (Lovely name), Hzleys87, GFOX2113, Shadows08, and Louiemoto. Sorry it took forever and hope you enjoy.**

--

Juugo's head snapped up, breath hitching…

The distant but clear noise that had just pierced his ears…a scream of sheer agony and terror—

_--Blood splatters the walls as we watch her fall— No, don't think of that, that's wrong—what's wrong? Nothing is wrong, killing is natural—no, it's bad, we go too far—there is never a too far—_

A tight noise chokingly fell from his lips amidst incoherent repetitions of the thoughts weaving his mind, and the man fell to the wall besides him, gripping his head.

--_Why are you stopping us?! Why are you stopping your power—NO! It's not natural!—WE ARE NOT NATURAL!!!—Yes we are! They accept us, they won't if we—THEN WE WILL KILL THEM TOO!!!—_

Sasuke whipped around from the passage his had lurched to, the same one that Karin's scream had come from, to find Juugo's trembling form.

Fiery marks were crawling across the massive teammate's skin—

"Shit—!"

"KILL THEM TOO, KILL THEM ALL!"

The bellow tore from a mad, mad grin and curse mark orgin lunged, swinging down the already forming axe on his forearm.

The Uchiha barely kept the blow at bay, his kusanagi held stiff with arms trembling under the mass pressure.

_Damn it! We don't have time for this!_

Sharingan once again rippling through coal black orbs, he could only shove back and pray that Suigetsu was somewhere near her.

--

The entire world had seemingly stopped.

The enemies trying now to charge him meant nothing. The gargantuan sword leaving his hand fell slowly.

But he was unstoppable.

Countless men were crushed into the walls around him, his arms beating them back until there was nothing left to hit but the doors as he broke through them. Her scream was raw and fresh in his ears, still echoing down and down into his pounding chest, constricting his heart, forcing his breath to come faster than his running.

Because he was a killer.

He was the "second" Zabuza of the Mist, the second child prodigy of the darkest elements.

He of all people knew what the specific meaning of their world was—you kill whoever gets in your way, no matter how precious they are to anyone else. It was the survival of the fittest and most apathetic, the power and high thrones gained with only merciless eyes and sadistic grins.

And for the first time in his life, he was unknowingly seeing why people were vengeful. Why some couldn't make it because they were too blinded with grief and loss. Why people became weak till they shattered.

_Precious…_

He couldn't deny it now. Not at this moment of his rushing, his urgency to find her.

He couldn't stop for denial; couldn't stop for the truth of how the shinobi world worked; couldn't stop to regain his usual self.

_Precious to…_

He was stripped of everything at the wild, uncontrollable hour—he was only a boy now, a boy trying to do something he would have never dreamed off.

He was going to save someone.

_Precious to me…_

Suigetsu's mind worked frantically, recalling every step he had taken with her that morning, eyes whipping around the blurred corridors, looking for any sign—

He almost fell, skidding to an insane stop as he slammed his back against a wall, cautiously peeking around its thin corner.

The hall to his left was a dark pit of dead men, millions of needles broken into the now immensely cracked walls as well as the departed.

No one in his team used needles.

_They struck down their own—_

A normal squad wouldn't have done that. Maybe one from Mist, but certainly not Wave.

_Who the hell are these bastards…?_

THUMP. The sound jolted his already jerking senses.

Immediately, he was down, the still fresh blood soaking into his clothes.

…Nothing came. Nothing moved…

He raised quietly, the pulsing adrenaline driving him to the wall adjacent to him—

A muffled noise fell into his ear; a hideous, choking noise. A keen whistling of air drowning in water…_someone's throat's been punctured--_

He tore around, eyes locking on the door he hadn't realized was there.

A bolt of sheer electricity tore through him—Karin.

His shoulder exploded with pain as he slammed through the thick wood, his pulse so loud that he was sure the entire inn was echoing with it—

Everything tore away from his vision.

The broken door crashing from its hinges to the floor; the dying, gasping man on the floor, convulsing in the blood leaving his neck; the darkened room splattered of even darker red…everything vanished.

Because nothing else mattered more than the slumped girl, the only thing holding her up—

Rage and horror and disgust would have reared their heads, but each was decapitated by the monstrous wave of panic.

Karin's arm was pinned to the wall, the middle of it stabbed straight through with a kunai…the thick rivulets of blood cascaded down the wood it was held against, spiraling down her arm to stain the light color of her sleeve.

Her name erupted from his throat, strangled and shattered, and he was there, ripping the knife away.

Her body fell into his, and something agonizing wedged into his chest as he twisted her onto her back, cradling her head up.

Because the blood trickling from her nose and parted lips was the only color on her pale face, eyes hardly open and so dull that he couldn't tell if they were even red.

_No…_

"Karin!" he hissed. Nothing.

A sound he would never let leave his lips swelled in his throat as he fumbled her cloak away, his thumb plugging into the hole in her arm as the other fingers gripped her elbow.

The other hand tore the zipper of her shirt down before returning to the back of her head, and his ear pressed to her chest.

It was there, but it was sluggish, weak…hollow and slow thumps with sudden quick skips…

He had killed enough people to know that noise, that godforsaken pulse…

"Sui…getsu…"

He jerked back at the hardly audible whimper. Her jaw was clenched, eyelids screwed shut under stitched together brows.

"I'm right here," he urged, and he could feel the muscles constricting under her skin…she was in so much pain…

"Karin, what the hell did they do to you?" Suigetsu snarled, his tone trembling with the worst of rage.

If he lost her…his chest ached…

Her lips moved, but nothing came out but a wrenched breath—

"What, god damn it, what?!" he half hollered, half hissed, yanking her closer, turning his ear to her mouth. And of course he was desperate.

She didn't have enough time left.

How could he keep her if he didn't know how…?

"…Howaido…"

His breath died as words flooded from his memory…

_Howaido…a poison created from the most lethal of white snake. Kills by attacking the insides or speeding blood flow from wounds…_

And he was suddenly, alarmingly aware of the blood soaking his pant leg and pushing past his hand, the same one nearby her limp and injured arm—

"He…" Her ragged murmur swayed away just as it pulled him back, her head dipping into his shoulder—

"Oh no you don't," he growled weakly, fumbling as he pulled her even closer.

She wasn't going down that easily— she was the type to shove her boot up the reaper's ass before letting it near and he'd be damned if he didn't help her.

"What, Karin? He what…?"

He didn't bother to look down as her fingers curled into his shirt limply, her body tensing with its last strength as the agony took hold again.

"Cure…thinner than…the others…" she managed to draw out between clenched teeth. And far too quickly her grip on his shirt fell limp.

--

"Izo-San!!!"

Unwillingly, the older Wave ninja's head slowly pushed up. He knew that voice…the boy…the one named Gin was calling him…the only genin on the team.

Sure enough, his wrinkled eyes found the boy, his arm haphazardly wrapped in bloodied gauze, his pupils tiny black dots drowning in tear brimmed white.

"Izo-San, your leg!" Gin whimpered, sobbing as he lunged to the man's side. The chunin snarled, gripping his nearly severed limb tighter. Did this child know_ anything_? He should've kept going.

"Gin—get out of here," he growled dully, glaring as harshly as possible. There was no way someone so young could stay in such a God damned mess…

"Not without you--!"

"Don't pull that bullshit, boy! Go...our captain is dead-- there's no hope."

The black haired boy froze, mouth opening before closing. The words slowly spilt out.

"…How do you k-know?"

A rueful smirk forced its way to the chunin's lip before slowly fading away. "When you get to my age, you just do."

"W-why did he have our own men attack each other…?"

Good—the tears weren't for the dead bastard.

"He cracked years ago…I should've known he'd be desperate for a suicide mission…listen, our "client" didn't give half the details he should've—Hebi is stronger than anyone in our whole village...get out of here with the survivors…"

"Izo-San…if I leave you…you'll…" the broken murmur died off.

"I know…but if I last long enough, maybe I can make a compromise…keep them off you and the others till you get home…"

And the man was grateful to finally see the sudden recognition in the boy's eyes. His lessons were returning to his young brain, pushing back the panic and sorrow and loss.

He would make a fine Wave Nin if he survived…

"Y-yes Izo-San…" And despite the heavy reluctance and contorting expression, the genin scampered off, not even noticing the sharingan watching him recede.

--

Suigetsu hadn't hesitated to rip her shirt off and tear it to long shreds to act as gauze for her arm.

He didn't hesitate rolling over the heavy and cold body to its back, the pool of blood beneath sloshing slightly.

He didn't hesitate to shift through the man's sleeves and holsters.

The only thing he had hesitated with was laying her stilled body down completely.

Leaving her alone for these minutes of scrupulously quick searching that felt like hours, because there was no way time could stand still for them.

Panting, he glowered down, fingers twitching.

Where the hell would someone put something important? He didn't have time or patience or anything else for that matter to even dare to search the whole vest.

In fact, the dark green outfit piece had become one huge labyrinth, holding too many secrets and passageways for him to--

_Wait—the long pocket-thingies on the vest…those hold important things…Oh god oh god oh god oh god please let this be it, please…_

The now almost hysterical boy worked the small feeling object from the scroll holder, letting the childish hope dominate him even though he knew quite well it most likely wasn't.

There—he thrust it into better light, teeth clamping down on his lip.

Just another fucking needle—

Something awfully close to whimper trickled up, the pounding of his heart so overwhelming now that he wanted to slam his fists into the dead body.

Kick it again and again and hope that in hell, the bastard could feel every little bit of it.

He tore it out, and was about to shove it with all his strength into the damned shinobi's forehead when he noticed something very, _very_ important.

The needle was thinner than the others.

It had to be… the cure, right in his fingers. If she hadn't become too silent for him to bear where he had left her, he would've laughed.

Because it felt like he was holding the miracle of the millennium in his hand, a blessing wrapped up in little steel.

But when he turned back around, it was in his face—the reality of what was to exactly happen here.

He would stick this in her chest as all antidotes are in emergencies.

She would show some sign of life, a direct and instant result of it jolting her senses and chakra back into its vital flows.

But after that…

It was all up to her—he couldn't go inside and make sure everything was going to work tomorrow himself. He couldn't lend her any strength or knowledge to feebly ally with the remedy.

Because after he did what now seemed incredibly insignificant…after one little burst of- I'm-still-here…

Her system would either rewire itself to fight it off and she would awaken soon or…

She would die.

And for once, the control was so far out of his reach that he wanted someone else to take over, someone else to take charge. For once, he wanted someone to claim all the power, someone to do this for him…for her.

_But there's no one else around…you're all she has._

There wasn't any time either.

He scrambled to her, forcing himself to pull her back, to ignore the horrendous sights, no matter how hard they were hitting him. This time, he wasn't allowed to strike back.

He was shaking, more visibly than the sweat rolling down his nose.

She was so pale, her bangs and strands of hair that framed her face plastered to skin.

If this didn't work…if shutting down her system wasn't the right move…

If it was far past "too late..."

No—the only thing it was too late for now were for "ifs," for fear, for doubt. He took the thought for all of its worth, clutching it with him as he lunged them both into the unknown.

The senbon crushed past the bandages and soft skin, slipping past ribs—

Her body fiercely jerked, a strangled and wet noise wrestling from her as blood splattered his shirt.

--

Instincts snapping him awake, Izo tore his head up, and a bout of nausea hit him for such speediness.

"Ngh…"

In his swimming, blurred vision, two figures towered over him, their shapes watery contours with no familiar signs.

_They're here…_

Squeezing his lids shut, the Wave chunin dragged his head up, knowing that his face was now well in their haunting gazes.

"Hebi members?"

"Yes."

He heard the rippling of soft cloth against gracefully moving limbs, and he knew the one whom had spoken was kneeling besides him.

A very eerie air reached into his chest…

"You are one of the Uchiha brothers, yes?"

"I am Uchiha Sasuke—did Itachi send you?" There was a veil of detachment, but it wasn't thick enough to hide that bitter eagerness, the dark ambitions.

And for a moment, Izo prayed all he could for the boy before him—the Uchiha massacre was large enough to even reach other countries; _so many shadows in the ones who hold the most potential…what kind of world is this?_

"Before I answer any questions, I must tell you…that we have all left—I am willing… to stay behind to answer everything with the honor of my village, as long as you swear on yours not to go after them."

It was only at the beginning of his statement that Izo forced his eyes painfully open, and pierced the obsidian orbs he knew were there.

"I can assure you it's not villages we're after," the avenger assured listlessly. "Team Hebi has but a single goal, and on that I swear I will not assault your home."

The shinobi held his stare and then Juugo's before dropping it all together, a tragic smile pulling his mouth.

"Be quick about all this…I'm afraid I haven't much time…"

--

Suigetsu stared, eyes somehow anything but wet…

It was all he could do as she twisted to her side, violently coughing up crimson between shuddering gasps for air, her body trembling relentlessly.

And despite the mass pain he knew she was suffering, despite her ragged battle for the much needed oxygen, the unadulterated fear thickly evident on her features…

The sight made him want to break out laughing and crying like an idiot.

It made him want to hold her close, feel the life that was clinging precariously there.

It made him want to scream all sorts of derogatory things at her, the bittersweet relief almost uncontainable.

Yet when she began to still again, her eyes halfway looking at him from their corners, he only leaned down, a single sentence whispered loud enough to be heard over her harsh, shaking pant.

"Don't you dare try to get out of that hell…you better wake up tonight or I'll kill you myself…"

He would have said more, but the last word broke, its shattered pieces falling to only give her a glimpse of the turmoil raging inside…

And the second her gaze began to fade away behind lashes pressing to cold sweat covered skin, his expression crumbled.

Because he had saved her or he had killed her.

Because she could die hearing the wrong last words or he would have a night to tell her all the right ones.

…Because she could be leaving him, and he wouldn't be able to live a single day further without her there.

"Suigetsu--!?"

Juugo froze, his hand clamping the doorway hard enough to break it in his fingers.

A dead body lay crumpled on the floor, and beyond it was the pale boy, his arms holding an even paler Karin as he pulled a thin needle from her chest. A small squirt of red followed it.

There was more blood on the Mist prodigy's clothes than the walls, and something told him it wasn't Suigetsu's or the enemies…

Sasuke brushed past him and the man had to pull out into the hall again, back pressed against the wall as he clutched the wood even tighter, ignoring the cracks as it slightly gave way to his strength.

It was one thing controlling his monstrosity being boiled by the heat of battle, but it was a whole higher level when it came to seeing those he had bonded even thinly with hurt.

"Suigetsu—what happened?"

And as if the Uchiha's own evident concern had somehow lifted his, teal eyes found the fading sharingan, a numb feeling slowly beginning to engulf whatever emotion that still hung about.

"I came in here and the bastard over there was dying…she must've cut his throat or something…her arm…she was poisoned. I found the cure and gave it to her, but with the way it works…shutting off her entire system, rewiring it to fight it off…I don't know if she'll make it…"

His voice sounded foreign to him—it was so hollowly calm, a tired anger expected of someone who was holding the person they didn't like hinted here in there in the breathless nutshell of it.

It sounded like there was nothing between the boy and the girl in his arms.

The entire tone was a lie carrying true words. He should be outraged, depressed, and lively, vivid with the two. He only _supposedly_ didn't like her…and for a flash, he hated himself, because she, especially now, deserved all what simply wasn't there.

Sasuke crouched near the dead Wave. "She killed him alright—she shoved her glasses into his jugular. The glass from her lenses must've severed it."

Suigetsu twisted around; there were indeed shards of glass and bits of black frame entangled with the elite's neck, the crimson staining them thickly. He hadn't even noticed them missing from her face.

"He was probably questioning her, but we'll get our turn—one of them was left behind, and he says he'll be cooperative as long as we don't retaliate any further against his squad."

He waited until the dark boy slipped momentarily from the room to check on Juugo before giving her a sad tug of his lip.

_Killing with whatever you can…that's my girl…_

--

**Me: Whew—I know this chapter and most of the ones before it have seemed a little dark, but it's definitely getting lighter here on out—I'm not that big of an angst fan, I just wanted to make sure these two get closer in a realistic manner. Anywho, Review Button-Sama and I are eager to hear from this one!**

**Review Button- Sama: Don't worry—I'll punish her severely for all unsatisfied readers!**

**Me: …O-O wasn't locking me in the dryer with bricks enough for you!? **


	7. Chapter 7: Waiting Room

**Alright! You guys liked chapter five!!! Man, Review button-Sama was so nice to me! He even let me sleep inside last night! Hopefully, all future chapters (including this one) will be as good. -- I hope I kept Suigetsu in character here… But hey, if it wasn't, you tell me—I'm trying to make you people content with this.**

**Major thanks to My Chemical Romance Dude, Iia, Graviola, Shadows08, and Hzleys87 for sending such encouraging reviews that quick. **

--

"Suigetsu…"

The light haired boy turned, eyes snatching the sight of the Uchiha's form leaning against the door frame.

"I'm going to be emitting the Wave chunin into a hospital nearby—they'll send him home quicker than this place, so I'll be out for a while."

"And you want me to keep an eye out here…?"

The Uchiha gave a single nod.

"How'd the "interrogation" go?"

"Well enough…"

Something in the sharingan holder's voice told him he was already calculating, figuring out the next hundred steps with the information he had received.

It was simply Sasuke's way.

"You know, it'd be better if we just killed him. I mean, you yourself are the example of a beaten enemy that'll do whatever it takes to get back."

For a silent moment, the Mist boy mused if he had touched a sensitive knot.

But then the avenger's sad smirk pulled at his features.

"I think we left a friendlier position than Itachi did..." He moved to leave, but something heavy suddenly formed in the air, and he paused in the doorway, long dark bangs casting a shadow over his suddenly distanced expression.

"…Be sure…" the rouge tensai's eyebrows knitted slightly, his stare on the floor, "to check on Karin…"

A visible cringe tried to take Suigetsu's face as well, but he turned back as if Sasuke's peripheral vision would catch such a small grimace.

"Duh…" It sounded almost too flat and hollow to belong to such a seemingly carefree type, but the Uchiha vanished none the less.

…_It is getting around that time…that she should wake up…_

And she would.

She had to. All of the times she had actually caught him off guard with a hit, it had hurt like a bitch. She had a power, a will, and a sheer determination to be absolutely in charge with her surroundings—there was no way in hell she could just…

But it had happened before…he almost instantly remembered the day he had heard the legendary Zabuza had been killed.

Sure, his death was nothing to laugh at—stabbed with over twenty weapons, forging through an entire army of men with two broken arms, beheading their leader with the kunai in his mouth.

But he had seemed so immortal…a demon, a dark god sent off from the pits of hell to kill. His younger ears had almost refused to take it.

He realized that he was yet again biting into his lip as the metallic taste cut his thoughts. And that he was only stalling.

Silently, he rose and moved through the hall, the swelling feeling in his chest only beginning to gnaw at his nerves.

He was at the room already.

Almost all hotels and inns (especially such a clean one as this) held some sort of nurses these days—had hers already left?  
He remembered quite clearly the troubled look the older woman had given them when Sasuke had explained the kunoichi's condition…it had only spiked his already high fears.

…Would she disprove of him coming in--? 

_What?_ To hell with manners—since when did he care?

But then again…wasn't he content with hesitation?

_No…she needed me back there…and I need her here…_

The door slid open an inch and he peered in.

…There she was…

Lying on her back with a thin sheet thrown over her, her arms free of the cloth and to both sides of her limp body; the door opened wider, and his gaze quickly found the right limb, his make-shift gauze replaced with actual white strips.

The wastebasket nearby told him her bleeding had soaked through several bundles of the stuff.

Her hair was either spiking or splaying against the white pillowcase like spurts of blood, her bangs disheveled as they lay across her face.

And of course, her cheek was against the pillow to make it seem as if she had been staring at the door, and of course, her expression had to be so none existent so that he'd be sharply reminded that she hadn't awoken one bit—

"Excuse me—are you one of the gentlemen who brought her here?"

He jolted around to find the same nurse he had seen earlier holding a bundle in what he could only describe as a threatening manner.

Like a fresh sheet, some gauze, and a new pillow were really going to do any damage.

But still, Suigetsu minded himself exceptionally well for someone who dismissed kindness as much as he under such conditions.

"Yeah..." he murmured distractedly, shifting so she could move past him. When she only stood there, he quirked a brow.

"…Well, what's your name?"

For God's sake—why did everyone he came across expect him to read minds--!?

"Suigetsu…?" It sounded more like a suggestion then a fact.

But when her expression suddenly lit up, he knew it had been the right thing to say.

"You! You're the one the other boy was telling me about—!" Oh God, Sasuke wasn't like that; he would never—"You're quite the hero!"—Oh hell no, he _hadn't!!!_ –"You're the one who saved her life!" That mother fu—wait…

He stiffened, his eyebrows shooting up as she bustled past him. Saved…? 

"You mean…she's going to be…?"

As if she had made a tiny mistake, a small "oop" left the nurse's lips before a very apologetic expression flitted on.

"I'm sorry…but we're not too sure…she's built up a fever, but we're pretty sure it's her body's way of fighting it off. She's not having any more attacks, so the pain's gone down."

_Not having anymore attacks--_ Suigetsu somehow stifled the urge to throw the woman before him out the window—

"But if you hadn't done what you did…she wouldn't be that lucky."

He glanced back up, then to Karin. _I wasn't joking Karin—you had better wake up or I swear to God—_

"Um, do you mind leaving for a moment? I have to change the sheets."

Change the—

It was then that he realized that the bedridden girl's shoulders were bare, and that the sheet was lingering over the starting of the bandages she wore around her chest.

"Yeah—" 

"I'll send you right back in afterwards."

He threw her an almost bewildered glance—what the hell had been in that tone?

She was smiling warmly; oh god no…_Don't tell me it's true about what they say with that whole "women know __**everything **__bit—maybe they do, and they expect us to have the same power…that would explain so much._

The door clicked shut on his face. He blinked—he didn't even remember moving out of the room.

A huff slid from his throat. Part of him wanted to walk off somewhere instead of waiting outside like a tied up dog, but the other insisted that he stay, because in only a few minutes he could slip back in.

Slip back in and see her…

_What would we do anyway? Practice with our sword? Kill some innocent bystanders? Talk to Juugo or at least attempt to as he listened to how the __**birds**__ are feeling? _

He dropped into the chair, feeling insanely ridiculous. Then again, what would people think, walking by? He was from Mist—it's not like he looked like the average dark haired and eyed person around here.

Oh god, what would that nutcase nurse think? She had already jumped to assumptions.

_Maybe I'll refill my thermos and come back…_He leapt to his feet at the idea and slipped down the hall.

--

The night was coming on darkly, thickly.

If it weren't for the last bits of snow clinging to icicle covered flowers and frozen grass blades, one would have imagined humidity.

Dark rolls of heavy oranges and slate blue tumbled after the sun, following its slow decent past the jagged mountains surrounding the frigid valley.

It would be easy to be distracted by this beauty…if the two figures shifting through it weren't the strictly focused Akatsuki.

Kisame's flat nostrils flared, his beady eyes glimmering. Surely, his partner wouldn't mind should he slip off and kill that rabbit; Samehada trembled hungrily against his back, and his fingers splayed for its hilt as the animal perked—

"Kisame…"

The octaves of Itachi's cold voice even affected beasts—the white creature scampered off, and the shark ninja could almost hear its pounding heart.

"Bah—wouldn't been a decent meal anyway…" he grumbled before turning to find that the Uchiha's narrowed gaze pinning the clouds.

"I'm curious…what exactly did you say to that Wave shinobi…the one in the bar…" the man quietly murmured.

"Ah, him…" A toothy grin rippled across his blue face. "I simply dropped word of that little brother of yours…" Black eyes traveled slowly to their corners to meet his fishy stare, "and of his little playmates…"

"…We deal with our own problems…"

"Problems indeed—I got word that one of the little wiseasses is carrying Zabuza's sword and he's got his eyes on mine…" As if said wiseass was nearby, he tightened the belt holding it to his body.

"You've got nothing to worry about anyhow…" he continued, "turns out somebody else had already paid the drunkard's squad and several others hefty prices for "answers and death."

Itachi's brow gave the tiniest of downward tugs. "Someone's after them…"

A bark of laughter tore from Kisame's throat. "I believe in karma—we're after fox-boy, fox-boy's after Hebi, Hebi's after us, and someone's after Hebi. Maybe we should complete the circle and go after whoever's got it in for your brother."

They moved on, the Mist shark still laughing and the Uchiha's gaze touching skyward again…

--

Just as Suigetsu sat back down, the nurse suddenly appeared besides him.

"Oh…you waited here! If I had known, I wouldn't have taken so long!" she beamed far too widely for him to feel at all comfortable.

Hadn't he just left to keep her from doing this…?

"Actuall—" 

"It's okay, dear," she suddenly murmured, surprising him as she suddenly patted his hand. "You don't have to make excuses…"

Almost immediately, words flew to his stuttering jaw—

"You can go in now if you like," she quickly smiled before leaving him to gape after her in a speedy walk.

His mortified horror didn't last long, though…

_You can go in now if you like…_

Quietly, he slipped in, closing the door behind him.

Or should he leave it open so that crazy woman wouldn't come back snickering with her friends…?

Things had gotten much more awkward lately, something the boy usually could swiftly avoid—since when did he have insecurities over what others thought of him?

_Damn Karin…_

But the sight of her was somehow incredibly kind with eradicating such thoughts and feelings, and the door clicked with finality behind him.

He approached unsurely still; stealthily scraping the chair besides her further back to slowly sit from a small distance, eyes never leaving her features as if at any moment she would meet his gaze.

The silence that settled afterwards was too much.

"…They told me you have a fever…" he murmured softly. His glance leapt about the room, a tiny and highly unreasonable fear that someone was creeping about to listen tugging.

Technically, he was talking to himself…

It wasn't everyday he let things be known. Despite his seemingly complete lack of modesty and the unstopping of whatever his brain dropped into his mouth, his heart was simply not somewhere people were allowed to know anything about.

Feelings…being soft…it was too vulnerable a ground for the likes of him.

And yet, things gradually began to slip.

"But like I'm going to believe that crack-head nurse…I mean, the freakin' weirdo thought she knew everything. She thinks I'm a hero or something just because I stuck a needle in your chest and told you I'd kill you myself if you don't pull through…" He picked the crud out from beneath his thumb before eyeing his surroundings again.

It was for the final time, because the teal orbs landed on her at last and staid there.

"You know…you're one of the most fucking reckless people I know besides me. You're always thinking you can take on the world…"

Usually, it was Karin that did the picking, the cruel comments on whatever he had chosen to do, but as he continued, he couldn't help but feel angry.

Who did she think she was, exactly, dumping these confusing and almost unbearable times onto his lap?

And just after she had made him so..._happy_.

"Hell, you're worse than me, because when you're in the face of whatever it is that you thought you could take on, you probably end up like this every time—at least I can hold my ground, keep the enemy back…you're a stupid bitch, you know."

He let those words hang for a moment, as if they would somehow reach her and she would growl something back.

But his sight slipped down to the wastebasket yet again to find that the bloodied gauze pile had grown an inch, and something stabbed at his bitter scorn, deflating it into something Suigetsu almost never felt.

The trembling, dropping sensation in his chest and the unbearable swell just after it, and the sudden hollowing after that; a fearful guilt and impatience for something to happen already, a nervous hunch that he was all alone somewhere too big…

Sorrow.

His eyes slid shut, jaw clenching tightly; he couldn't take in her sight anymore.

They had been too blissful, hadn't they? Something bigger than him was reminding him, was dragging back his older self that had been lost in the confusion and intimacy; they lived in a world to dangerous for anything like that.

His hand impulsively, blindly found hers and gave it a small squeeze because he could care less if someone walked in, even Sasuke or Juugo…because he suddenly didn't want the world to be half as cruel as he knew it truly was. If it was, then surely, she wouldn't…

_My god…_If he was like this, imagine how she must feel in whatever place someone's mind takes them when the darkness hits…

"You know…a couple of weeks ago, I hated you. You would annoy the hell out of me, I would annoy the hell out of you, and we would beat on each other so much that Juugo would loose it, or Sasuke would pull us apart…if it had staid that way, maybe I wouldn't have to go through all this shit…"

His grip loosened around her fingers for a moment, because what had to be said next made him feel so small and weak that it drew his limbs into an emotionally battered limpness.

"But…I'm glad it happened. I'm glad you got drunk. I'm glad we were stumbling around for days after that night…you've given me something I've never had before and I…"

He paused for a complete breath. "I don't mind…I don't mind it at all."

And his fingers gripped hers again, because they felt warm. Warm like the embrace she had given him. Warm like her lips moving against his. Warm like the look she had discreetly given him behind Juugo and Sasuke's backs.

Warm like something _alive_, and not cold and…and dead like she had felt earlier this morning.

His eyes opened again as he rose to crouch besides her, his hand leaving hers to subtly shift under her cheek. It felt flushed despite its pale appearance and cold sweat…so she _was_ fighting it off.

His lip gave a quivering, proud curl, but it unfurled as quickly as it had formed.

He carefully leaned in…

And brushed her soft lips with his, lingering before shifting away, listening to the creak of a loose board beneath his feet, watching as her head slowly re-met the soft mattress as his hand slid from between the two.

"You'd better not kick the bucket, especially after all that," he threatened quietly. And then he slipped out, only feeling a sliver of relief to find that the nurse wasn't somewhere around.

Because he couldn't stand seeing someone he had always seen so strong…

…be so incredibly fragile.

--

**Me: I know I promised light, but something told me to take this a little seriously. I would've written more, but the stupid page count was already blaring nine—I wanted to keep it a little on the shorter side. **

**Review Button-Sama: Well you've better made the right choice…go ahead guys! Maul her! MAUL HER!!!**

**Me: Why are you so **_**mean**_**!? Seriously, who tortured you as a child!?**


	8. Chapter 8: Deep breath

**A/N: Oh my God…0-0 it's 3:54 AM right now…I just couldn't stop writing this. Hurrah for my random bouts for insomnia, right? Anywho…I really, really hope this chapter is okay. So many things happen in it and I could've screwed it up really bad…crosses fingers well, here we go SuiKa fangirls and boys…**

**Dedicated to (as long as it's a good chapter) Iia, My Chemical Romance Dude, Shadows08, and Hzleys87 for yet again speedily sending reviews that gave me Rock- Lee- hard- determination.**

**Oh, and for those who don't know—Suika doesn't only mean "watermelon"--it means "fire and water" as well…XD How perfect is that, especially because the "ka" part is fire while the "sui" part is water?**

--

"Jeez…I need to get bigger thermoses," Suigetsu grumbled, tipping his second empty cup out in vain.

"I'll be right back," he muttered, and Juugo gave a single nod. It was strange how passive the man was around the small birds perched on his shoulders…how did those things get inside anyway…?

Just a few steps out the door, and the Mist Ninja's ears perked. Someone was rushing down the hall…had Sasuke returned…? No…he was much quieter and calmer…

He turned his gaze just in time to capture Karin's nurse—

Well, crap…that was _not_ a good expression…

"What's going on?" he almost demanded, but the woman kept going.

"God damn it," he growled under his breath, and the boy picked up his speed until he had fallen in quickened step.

"Seriously, what's wrong? Don't tell me this has something to do with—"

"I'm so sorry, but your friend…she may…" 

Something very close to panic whipped through Suigetsu to constrict his throat and chest.

"She may _what_?"

The woman simply shook her head before moving out even quicker, and he fell behind, slowing to stop…

--

"So…what exactly happened here?"

Izo grimaced at the voice, the figure hidden in the shadows far from the bed he was resting in shifting slightly.

How the man had gotten in here, known exactly where he was and when he would be alone was beyond him.

"You lied about Hebi—they're incredibly powerful. We were an assault formation of five four man teams and we only got one of them down from what I heard," the man growled, his light brown and almost grey hair practically bristling. "As for the rest of us, I'm one of the few and lucky survivors."

"Who'd you bring down?" The Wave chunin was beyond pissed off as the sentence casually reached him.

"You little bastard…we hit one with the Howaido poison you supplied us, but she—"

He stiffened from his new position at the edge of the bed, the kunai that had only missed him from years of training and reflexes giving a loud "thunk" as it hit the wall.

"What was your Captain thinking? I demanded that two members be kept alive for...my own ridding—one of them happened to be that girl," the voice commanded in what sounded like a loud hiss.

Izo couldn't help the low chuckle escaping his throat as he plucked the knife from the wall, sitting back up as he tossed the blade away. "Don't you know a madman when you see one? Our "beloved" Captain Maru was on the verge of snapping. This was to be his last mission, his sanity's final test…to say the least, he failed."

The dim ribbons of light were suddenly illuminated a black cloak, and protruding from it a pale arm, its hand gripping shurikan. "If she's dead…"

The lethal steel tore into the man's shoulders and ripped the skin going past to embed in the wall, but he refused to let loose the sound of pain.

"I'll personally make this village a living hell. I've got plenty of other squads on the move for Hebi, but they're from villages that'd be more than glad to have a chance at your people."

There was a creak as whoever it was moved towards him, the bars of shadows further enshrouding him except for a single, eerie glow.

Izo's eyes strained, his body freezing…_My god…is that light…is it an __**eye**__…?!_

His thoughts were broken as his now assailant spoke again, this time a cold and morbid laugh gripping the darkened room. The lethal glint crinkled with some sick, unseen grin.

"Speaking of madmen…"

The hand crept up to tear away the thick cloak's hood, and Izo's face contorted with a horror he had never experienced before, his body immobilized…

"I _am_ a madman…"

--

_She knew where she was…_

…_But Karin hadn't fallen into the darkness of __**this**__ room…no, she did not belong here._

_It had happened too long ago…_

"_Kill him, damn it!"_

_Kabuto's voice rang throughout the room, shrill and panicked—it drove past Karin's frozen state of terror, driving her arms down with a strength she didn't know she possessed—_

_The struggling, livid man she had pinned to the floor made a horrendous gurgling noise, his eyes bulging as the blade in her hands sunk through his ribs, driving itself slowly into his chest as she crushed all of her weight down._

_Blood spurted across the girl, some even landing in her eyes… but she held on to the hilt none the less, trembling as the failed experiment's grip began to weaken on her nearly broken wrists._

_And then he suddenly stilled with a hollow, rasping exhale, eyes rolling back, body limply slumping to the floor._

_It was only then that she let go, staring…the dark crimson staining the trembling hands held to her face, pooling beneath the body._

_She had just killed a man._

_Karin somehow staggered out of the room before emptying her stomach in the hall, gripping at the stone walls, shivering violently. It had happened too quickly…_

"_That must've been your first time taking a life," Kabuto murmured, leaning against the doorway she had pushed from. _

_She glared at the almost wry humor in his voice, and it only narrowed as something venomously indifferent entered his next sentence: "Get over it. You'll have to do that a lot around here, especially if you screw up experiments again—"_

"_Shut…up," she snarled, cutting him off with just as much resentment. He blinked at the sudden harsh growl—it must've been a drastic change to the fearful look she was now hiding. _

_She shoved away from the column she had been holding herself up with to whip the blade from her hand, its bloodied glint stabbing into the floor by his feet, hilt quivering in air._

_He opened his mouth to say something else, but she suddenly couldn't hear him…everything was fading away…the snakes carved and molded into the cold walls, the eerie lantern light, the smell of dank air and fresh blood…_

_And from wherever she had been, she was jerked harshly back into her own body—_

Crimson eyes tore open, her body jolting as she gave a loud gasp.

Something was pounding in her ears…her heart…?

_I'm…Am I…alive?_

The feeling of sheets tangling themselves around her, cold and crisp, sent a shiver through her, bewildering her more than the dim room slowly beginning to fill her blurred vision…

…Where the hell was she? Fearfully, her eyes flickered about, but it was too dark to tell…dark like the place she had just come from…a small noise escaped her, tightly clinging to her throat. 

Shaky arms slid back to push up, but one exploded so keenly with pain that she hit the mattress the second she tried.

Grimacing, Karin slowly twisted her head, quickly finding the agonized limb.

Its middle was wrapped tightly with gauze…

And she suddenly remembered.

The Wave squad captain falling back, clawing at his throat as blood spurted past his fingers, her glasses crushed into his throat…feeling as if she was being drained with every drop of her blood leaving and being helpless to it…slipping away into the crushing black with fear and agony—

Her stomach lurched dangerously, and the girl closed her eyes, struggling to keep the stomach acid down as she tried to calm the fragments being thrust forward too quickly.

And she was trembling; covered in a veil of cold sweat…both her breath and pulse were uneven, ragged…

The Howaido poison must've done damage…

_Breathe…obviously, we're alive…he did his damage, but we killed him, remember…?_

Gradually, the pieces stopped hurtling around to softly click in the back of her mind, and careful to keep her right arm limp, the girl pulled up, wincing. It felt like something had stretched up leisurely to drag its burning claws down her insides.

_God damn it…_ Anything a little over a foot away from her was unrecognizable, and as the throb in her temples flared, she gave a mental groan for her glasses, pinching the bridge of her nose.

The sheets slipped, and at the cold combating the feverish heat beneath her skin, she glanced down. Only the bandages around her breasts greeted her. She shifted the thin cover further back. Well, at least she was wearing shorts. But they weren't hers…they were longer, looser…

She must be in a hospital…or an inn, or somewhere…how the hell did that happen? Then again…she remembered an incredibly short conscious…there had been an unfamiliar chakra…but it could've been a dream…

"…Hello…?" It was useless—the second syllable died away as she heard just how hoarse and weak her voice sounded. But still…someone had to hear it…unless…

_I'm alone…_The tiny thought suddenly brought another—where was the rest of her team?

There was no way she was going to attempt her senses…they were too groggy and stumbling for her to trust…

_We don't need to worry about Sasuke…he's got the sharingan. And Juugo…well, he's Juugo. And Suigetsu—_

Suigetsu…

Her light feeling head slowly rose from its resting place in her palm, her dull gaze softening as the name recalled something else. Because despite her unstable conditions…

One of the things she could fully and clearly recognize was what he had done…

What the boy had done for her… breaking free of his merciless and asshole-like "philosophies…"

To save her.

Well, by sticking a needle into her chest and threatening to kill her himself if she didn't make it, but none the less…

The last thing she had seen somehow swam back…the expression that had been contorting his face, the emotion that had been revealed when the end of that threat reached her fading hearing…

…_Fear_…? Suigetsu, the bastard-kappa-sword-craving-indecent-water-freak…had been _afraid_ to lose _her_? And had _saved_ her?

"…He…that bastard…" she murmured past the small, impulsive tug of her lip, and something shifted in her chest, just like it had when he had gripped one of her arms around him before falling asleep; just like it had when he had pulled her against him when she had broken down and neither of them knew what had been attacking them so relentlessly inside about the other; just like it had when he had kissed her on that drunken night.

And suddenly, being alone was unbearable, more so than the aches of her fevered and poison ravaged body, the agony of her arm, the fear of not knowing what was or had been happening…

For the very first time in her entire life of knowing the Mist ninja…Karin wished that he was there…

The bed felt too warm for her, and the room around it too dark and cold…

_I got to…get out of this room…_

--

The nurse glanced back as someone ran down the hall—

So she hadn't lost him…she had been hoping at least to solve the problem somewhat before telling him.

There was something between those two…she could feel it.

"I'm so sorry—she woke up just a few minutes ago, but then she…"

"Then she _what_!? C'mon, just tell me already!" he pushed impatiently, and something gripped in her chest for the boy.

"Oh you must be so worried—she passed right back out, but when she was awake…she…she couldn't see me! I'm sorry, but I think the poison's--!"

It took all Head Nurse Shiro had to keep from stopping and slapping the light haired shinobi, his bark of laughter echoing from when it had cut her off.

"What, may I ask, is so funny?" she all but snapped, her high expectations of the once seemingly wonderful boy beginning to crumble.

"No, it's not like that…she just needs her glasses to see and those are…my god, you had me—" he quickly glanced further down the hall, but it was soon a double take, his body stilling, the humor fading from his face.

She curiously followed his stunned gaze—

Could it be…?

Karin was leaning against the doorframe, strands of red hair straying across her flushed forehead as her eyebrows gave a subtle dip…she must have recognized his chakra…

"…Suigetsu…"

Her voice was husky and feeble, but he heard it anyways…maybe it was because all of him was straining towards her at the moment…

His eyes softened from their shocked stare.

_She…she's awake…that's her…that has to be her…_

And the girl somehow straightened up, pushing from the wall and limping the few last steps, because he had already covered the distance between them, his heart squeezing. Was she really…? Was she actually standing there…?

Her good arm broke his bewildered thoughts as it suddenly wrapped around his neck, surprising him almost as much as the strength she had as she pulled herself against him.

"Suigetsu," she murmured again, and something trembled in her quiet voice, her head burying into the crook of his neck.

It was…it really was her…the smell, the softness of her hair…

He closed his eyes, slowly taking in her scent and warmth, forgetting the nurse even as she made a quiet sound of gleeful approval from far behind.

Karin was starting to say something, and his chin tilted down to hear her, not wanting to miss a single thing…

"Thank you…"

He didn't need to ask to know.

His hand was surprisingly gentle as it slipped under her limp right arm and curved to touch the square of her shoulders, to push her, if it was possible, further into him. He had to…just to make sure she was really there. It felt like he was dreaming…

And he wasn't…the feeling in his chest was overwhelmingly close to spilling. But somehow he contained himself enough to simply press his mouth to her cheek roughly before keeping it near her ear.

"You bitch…scaring the shit out of me like that…"

--

**Again…I really hope I pulled this all off okay…everything that I wanted to happen had to be put in just the right order in just the right way, so I hope I didn't screw it up! XD Kudos to those who figured out whose after Hebi…I probably (and stupidly) made it too obvious…**


	9. Chapter 9: Almost forgot

**A/N: Oh, my poor readers! The internet was snatched from my computer, so I couldn't update until now. T-T I missed you guys so much—I even missed Review Button-Sama! I'm scared I've lost a few of you, so while my internet was gone, I worked incredibly hard on three new chapters for you guys. Am I redeemed yet…? **

**Dedicated to ****EVERYONE.**

**--**

The wind slowly shifted by, stealing away Suigetsu's exhale and leaving him behind to rustle the splayed branches and twigs of nearby trees.

Vaguely, the tiny part of him that was still on the roof of the inn and not utterly lost in thick thoughts wondered if he was even allowed to be up here.

Really, it was a tiny, tiny piece—he could care less.

First off, he had to wonder over his "fearless leader"—the rouge Leaf had been gone much longer than expected or wanted. If he didn't return soon, they'd be out looking for him.

Meanwhile, the nurse from awkward hell had had him carry Karin back to her room to work on her arm, and he could still feel the red hair under his chin and pressing to the crook of his neck, the smooth skin here and there…

He closed his eyes, dully letting his senses remember. It had been two days and a half ago, and he hadn't seen her since. If they were going to be moving out soon, she needed more than ample rest. Oh, and her scent… it was dull, but god, it was still clinging to his shirt…

She was literally taking over his mind at times when he was alone like these. Not enough for him to be wishing she was there, but enough for him to catch himself with a hint of reproach.

She was even rivaling other thoughts—murdering people with decapitation, being revered so much that even the word that he was coming would make men piss their pants. Wielding a weapon more lethal than the legendary seven of his older home, making his title of "the second Zabuza" secured or maybe even changing to something higher…

_Karin and blades…_Maybe he could teach her how to tear a man in half with a katana. She was skilled with kunai, but they were so small and useless.

A brief mental sight of the girl running low to the ground, blade unsheathing as she charged and he felt a small pulse of something close to adrenaline.

…Damn it, he was doing it again…

He could not let this girl take over his life. He might be a carefree type of thinker, but he'd be _damned_ if he became dependent on something as bizarre as what was growing between them.

His self scolding paused, however, as he heard something shift below. _Who'd be sneaking around at this hour…?_

"Ohayo, Suigetsu." The Uchiha watched as the boy's head appeared from the roof, white hair almost illuminated in the moonlight.

"You're late," the Mist Nin threw out. "You were supposed to be back here a day and a half ago."

Raven bangs swayed slightly as he nodded grimly. "Izo was murdered hours after I dropped him off. I staid to find more information, but it wasn't much."

"Pheh…" Suigetsu snorted. "Told ya you might as well have killed him."

"He helped us, Suigetsu—we had to repay him for the information we got. Strangely enough, even the details of how he was killed might help us."

"…Well, now you've got me captivated—what happens next in our jolly little adventure…?"

The raven haired boy gestured that they head inside, and the Mist prodigy landed quietly.

"How's Karin faring?"

"Last time I saw her, she was well enough to have escaped her room…"

Sasuke turned, and Suigetsu was treated to a rare look of repressed bewilderment.

"That…speeds things up a bit."

His white haired companion only nodded his head. "Oh, and her nurse? Total whack job—I wouldn't believe _everything_ she says…" He spun his finger near his temple, and the avenger's eyebrow rose.

--

A heavy yawn pried open Juugo's jaw as the large man rose from his slumped position at the corner of the wall.

"Ohayo, Juugo…" Steely eyes found the upright girl, her own settled on the folded hands in her lap. His gaze quickly trailed up the right when he remembered her limb was in a sling.

"Your arm's better?"

"Yeah—I have no idea what they did to it, but it's bearable," she murmured. "Good thing you're awake too—Sasuke's back and he's headed up here."

A small bit of relief washed over him; the time without the Uchiha's powerful presence was like stepping on broken glass. One wrong move of someone around him and…

"Suigetsu told me you were back on your feet pretty well," he quickly changed his thoughts. Karin seemed to notice, but only nodded her head, glancing up at the blurry figure.

_Well this sucks…we're going to have a meeting and I'm not going to see any of it…_

"Morning crazy-ass," Suigetsu muttered, plopping down next to the door both him and their undisputed leader had slipped through. "And if you're wondering which one, I'm greeting you both."

"How sweet," Karin droned, and her voice summoned the Uchiha's attention.

"Karin—how are you feeling?" Sasuke murmured almost instantly, eyes listlessly studying the girl as he approached the foot of her futon.

"I've been better," she sighed, distractedly reaching up to touch the spikes of her hair. A small frown tugged on Suigetsu's lip at the girl's sudden awareness around the Uchiha. "The poison's done its main damage, but I'll heal." 

"Good. I'm glad to see you made it," the dark haired boy replied. "From Izo's descriptions of his late captain's victims, you apparently didn't say a word—I'm…grateful for your sacrifice." His head bowed the slightest, almost apologetic, but genuine.

And the frown on Suigetsu's mouth grew at the boy's usually hidden emotions being directed towards Karin, and even more at the sudden, almost shy smile etching itself onto her features. Was she…_blushing_…?

"_Oh just admit it already—you just want to be by Sasuke's side…"  
_His own memory and words startled him, and if he hadn't have caught himself, his eyes would've widened.

"_I know…of your and Sasuke's past." He watched almost satisfied as her face suddenly contorted with panic that he would continue._

How he had forgotten…

_Oh __hell__ no…_

"Oy, Sasuke—we're all here, so spill it," he called with a tiniest hint of the mass irritation he felt beginning to burn. He watched from the corner of his eye as the look on her expression faded, as if he had awoken her, and the intense feeling only flared.

The sharingan holder shifted into a sit, slanted eyes narrowed. "Izo's team was joined by four other squads, each who nominated an elite for their captain. The elite, Nishida Tsume, however, wasn't all that right in the head."

Suigetsu couldn't help but glance at the girl. What the hell had that face been…? They haven't seen each other for some time and she barely noticed him against the Uchiha. The emotion he couldn't quite place billowed, but he bitterly focused back on Sasuke's words for now. 

"Nishida's mission was given to him by "an employer." Izo said that the two had been at a bar when the information on us was given. From what he told me, whoever has it in for us knows a lot more than we thought." 

"So it could be someone we once knew…?" Juugo interjected.

"Yes and no—someone could be tailing us pretty close," Sasuke answered. "And it's no one from Leaf…the instructions Izo was given was to kill us," the boy's eyes grew darker, "and he was shortly killed himself after my bringing of him. He was also "warned" by Nishida "that they were "lucky to have caught up with us faster than the _others._"

"So whoever employed his team employed others…" Karin murmured.

"Exactly. We have an unknown number of shinobi from all over after us, one client pulling the strings, and the Leaf." 

"Well you're the head of this thing—what do we do?" Suigetsu threw out. This was only an inch more of a pressing matter than what he had witnessed, and a suppressed bite could almost be heard in his tone.

"We'll stay a little longer, a day or so, for Karin to get a little more rest. But then we'll have to move out and…" suddenly, the Uchiha's sentence died away.

Almost immediately, his attention hit the door just before Nurse Shiro slipped through.

"Oh! I didn't know you were all in here…" she noted. "Sorry if I'm interrupting anything, but I need to check your friend's stability."

The raven haired boy gestured her to move on despite his small glower. The Mist Nin mentally cursed the woman—the information would have to wait.

"Your temperature has decreased and," she placed her fingers to Karin's throat as her eyes glued to the clock on the wall, "Your pulse is not longer erratic. I must say that I'm impressed—you're doing quite well."

"How much longer would I need to rest…?" Her red gaze flickered to quickly touch the Uchiha's over the woman's shoulder. The boy's mind visibly switched gears—whatever her answer was would instantly be calculated into whatever he had been about to say.

"Eager to move on, aren't we? Anyway, you're still working off the main harm and side effects, so I recommend two days more here and then to take it very easy while traveling. Your arm, though," she paused to give the red haired kunoichi a stern look, "will definitely need more than that."

Karin gave a sharp nod, and smiling the woman began to leave. "Oh, and by the way, I'll need to see you later about your glasses prescription," she called as the door slid shut, her footsteps fading as she moved down the hall.

"Perfect." Sasuke's voice instantly drew them back. "We'll stay for two more days, move out, and split up into two teams."

"Wait, we're doing _what_?!"

Raising a single hand to calm the obvious and sudden tension in the room, the tensai nodded. "One group will move a day further ahead, and the other will follow, waiting one day behind the other to space the time better. Both groups will sign into different hotels close enough to each other so that we can still meet up in the time space given." 

"Let me guess—it's harder for them to track us down while we're like this?"

"Yes. Izo said that Nishida was to go after a group of four with our descriptions. _But_ despite his problems, Nishida was known country wide for his excellent tracking; the other groups are probably getting started at this moment. If we split up like I've planned, it'll increase the difficulty of any of them pulling what he did."

Suigetsu already knew the answer before its question left his mouth: "So who'll be in what group?"

"I know you two don't get along _at all_, but I'm the only one here who can really keep Juugo in check," Sasuke answered, almost choosing his words tentatively.

"So…Suigetsu and I…?" Was it just his utter paranoia, or had the girl's sentence faltered…? _The bitch probably wanted to go with __**him**__…_something snarled inside at the very thought and the image of her overwhelmed look from the Uchiha's attention only fed it.

"It'll only be until I can get this figured out. Besides, if you guys move a day slower, we can secure your conditions—you don't even have to spend the time together," he added.

"Thank God," Suigetsu grumbled. "Whatever—I'm still torn between who I'd rather be stuck with; crazy ass number one or crazy ass number two."

Sasuke's brow furrowed as Karin scoffed._ Here it goes…_

"Oh look, you can count! I'd rather the poison had killed me than be stuck with a _dumb_ ass."

"I guess I should've let you die—I'd be doing us both a favor."

"Shut it before I make you, kappa-teme."

"Oh, are you going to stumble blindly over here so you could beat me to death with your useless arm?"

"That's all it'd take."

"Are you kidding? In your best health you couldn't touch me!" Suigetsu rose to his feet, and her glare somehow found his, locking lethally. The Uchiha had never experienced the boy getting truly upset as he looked now...he usually shrugged everything off, but this time the venom in his voice was genuine.

The last statement had been a warning.

A threat.

And even if the two snarled and fought tooth and claw against each other, it had always been much shallower than what was building now.

"Listen you two," Sasuke firmly broke into the tense silence. "Just deal with each other until I can figure this out—there are people out there trying to kill us, so don't make it easier for them."

Karin's scowl softened an inch. _What the hell's your problem?_

His only flared. _Like you don't know._

"Like I said, whatever," the water boy growled before moving towards the door. "I'm going to go train." If he heard another word come out of the avenger's mouth he would hit it.

_He's never gotten angry…_The rogue shinobi's gaze flickered to Karin to find the girl's glare was now focused on her folded hands. His plan couldn't have caused this by itself. _Something's happened here…_

--

She couldn't possibly still be in love with the Uchiha. Sure, obsessions are hard to kill, but…

Who the hell was he kidding? What had happened between him and her anyway?  
A few lip locks, one of them being an absolute mistake; the tiny increase of tolerance that was set off anyway; the antihero-like rescue that _anyone_ would've pulled?

And the other "moments"? What, her keeping him warm? She probably wanted to get the team going—she was always the most frustrated when they had to stop for him. The way she approached him after just waking up? She would've mauled Sasuke if he saved her.

Everything that he had—for reasons he couldn't comprehend—thought was _something_ lay before him, spread out and raw, and he suddenly couldn't find _anything_.

His hands were blistered and slightly bloodied from the sword's rough hilt, his arms sore and throbbing with its weight as sweat rolled down his skin. And yet, none of the pain of overworking himself hurt as much as whatever was burning him on the inside.

The sword's handle finally slipped from his hands as he spread out on his back, eyes closed. He didn't even attempt a _sip_ from his thermos.

Suddenly, the setting sun blaring behind his closed eyelids disappeared all together as a cold shadow shifted across his face.

One teal opened—long black pants meet his gaze. Ones tied firmly to a waist by a purple bow.

"I'm going to take guard tonight. You should rest."

"Really, did we ever decide you were in charge?" he dully bit.

"This morning you told me I was the "head of this thing." Rest."

Suigetsu could feel Sasuke's black stare boring into his back the entire way back to the inn, but knew he wouldn't have rebelled anyway.

He couldn't exactly argue at the moment.

His scowl lifted from the ground just in time to see Karin leaning on one of the thick wooden pillars near the entrance, black loose hospital clothes somehow still following the shape of her curves.

He noted her new glasses as they emphasized her studying eyes. They looked almost exactly the same as her old ones.

"You look exhausted—I'm telling you, that ridiculous sword's too heavy."

"You're supposed to be resting," he bit. "You almost died, you freak…"

"Look who's talking—you know, I'm all into the whole "don't let the world know about whatever's going on between us thing," but you were way too much of an asshole back there," she growled, adjusting the frames.

He bristled, but miraculously staid quiet.

Now that he was standing quite near her, he could see his reflection in her glasses—he did look exhausted…and bitter…

She sighed heavily before turning around. "Come on—it's dark out, and from the looks of it, your hands need some work."

Like he was really going to let her bandage his goddamn hands. She turned halfway, placing her hand on her hip. "Did you get stupider or something?"

He opened his mouth to lash out, but the corner of his eye caught her other arm. Carefully tucked in a sling and too bandaged for him to guess what it looked like. But he had literally stuck his fingers into the hole a kunai had gone through—something like that had to hurt even after extensive care…

"Fine, but you're not touching my hands."

--

"You got stupider or something? Don't use your hand, four eyes."

She almost visibly winced at the name, and he wanted her to. He knew exactly how touchy she was about her impaired vision.

But his satisfaction was limited. "My arm's a total mess, but I can still use this hand."

She twisted one of his fingers painfully back to prove it and he ripped from her grip.

"Damn it, bitch!"

Impatiently, she snatched it back with her well-able arm and quickly began to finish bandaging his palms.

His eyes drifted to her face almost involuntarily. She looked distracted despite the focused dexterity, brow furrowed slightly.

"…Really, Suigetsu," she begun, and he watched the shadows slipping down her face as her eyes lifted to his. "What the hell's wrong?"

"Why should you care? I told you guys I wanted to be left alone." 

"You're not an anti-social—if there isn't an annoying and worthlessly random conversation going on, you're always the one to start it."

"See?" he snapped, yanking his hand away again. "If you don't like me, what's up with all the attention?"

"I _owe_ you," she growled, and the unexpected words nearly threw him off. "You saved my damn life and I meant it when I said "thank you."

"Well if that's all there is to it, you're welcome." Despite the kind words, his tone was anything but politely acceptant.

"Are you that dense? What the hell happened to "I'm _supposed_ to hate you?" From the sounds of it, you're right back on it!"

"From the looks of it, you're right back on Sasuke," he nearly hissed. For the sake of the entire inn's sleeping inhabitants, he hadn't roared.

She stiffened. "…_What--?!_"

"I saw that look on your face! You were practically melting when he talked to you—why the _fuck_ are you looking at me like that!?" This time, he did roar. To hell with sleeping inhabitants.

She couldn't help it—she hadn't felt this much disbelief in a long time.

"You're…_jealous…_?"

Something mentally slapped Suigetsu so hard that his wrath washed away. That could _not_ be it…he just…gah…

His mind faltered as it groped for something, _anything_ to respond with, even as the truth bit him in the ass—but he couldn't find anything…he really was undeniably envious…

"That's what this is all about? Y-you're _jealous_?" she repeated, and he realized that she was not at all mocking him, but for once _agreeing_ with him in his bizarre stupor.

Neither of them had seen it coming or planting itself down for that manner.

But maybe they would both see it leave.

Because it was only at their almost mirroring incredulity that he caved the slightest.

"What happened between you two back at Sound…" he started, still sounding defensive and unreasonably stubborn.

And she followed him, something distant settling on her features instead of the blush or stammering he had been dreading.

"Suigetsu," she sighed, "that happened…a long time ago…"

And she surprised him by touching his fingers with hers.

"And what we have--whatever the hell it is…it's new, but…"

She looked back up to meet his searching gaze. "I…like it."

She adverted her eyes as his eyebrows rose; already, it was too much exposure to what she'd rather keep to herself. "I mean, I don't have to chase you around half as much. Plus, you started this whole thing, so it's not unrequited…"

A bitter amusement slipped her throat, sounding almost forced. "Those parts…didn't bode too well with me…or him, for that matter…"

And he knew she was doing it again. Revealing little bits and pieces instead of hiding behind the flustered expressions and stuttering excuses; she didn't even try to adjust her glasses.

Her hand had completely slipped over his, but despite his earlier statement he didn't pull away.

"So you don't…"

"I don't know. But," she added quickly to stop whatever emotion may pounce him, "We do have _some_ time together starting the day after tomorrow…maybe… that could really change…"

And she looked back up with such a softened expression that he felt the last bit of his anger fading. But like he was really going to get comfortable in such a moment.

"Just make everything clear, though…that day it was snowing…you just did that stuff to get me moving faster, huh?"

"…Yeah, pretty much. Affection warms the body, you know," she admitted matter-of-factly.

He scowled, but there was smirk slowly growing on her features as she shoved his hand away.

"Don't get too cocky, Karin—who'd be jealous of someone being stuck with you, anyway?"

--

**Trust me, this story is all SuiKa. Not SasuKa. Shudders Karin's the most obsessive fangirl I've ever seen, so the complete emotion change from Sasuke to Suigetsu has to be done if I want to keep this paced well.**

**And no, I have no f-ing clue what happened between Sasuke and Karin, but my SasuSaku and SuiKa loving side prays it wasn't extreme. **

**Am I redeemed…? Leave a review for each chapter if you can, oh kind ones. **

**Review-Button-Sama: "Kukukuku—I missed you too, stupid one." **

**Me: "Is that a **_**bat**_**? Oh well…guess I deserve it."**


	10. Chapter 10: Third time around

--

The grass shifting beneath the weight of his footsteps was the only noise swimming in the pool of the quiet morning, but his ears strained over it, ignoring each green blade.

Even the birds were quiet despite their silent restlessness—every time his cobalt eyes met the branches above he could see them flitting from twig to twig, pausing only to look downwards and cock their heads.

A single dried leaf loosened from their scaled feet and brushed against Naruto's nose, only to be shoved away by his impatient growling exhale.

They had been so close to finding _him_ again and instead found his victims. Quietly perched in trees, they tensely watched and studied the group of tattered ninja bitterly fleeing through the tall grass beneath or the trees adjacent, most carrying badly wounded.

And those who were wounded, thanks to Kakashi-Sensei's keen observation, had slices that could have only been inflicted in high speeds.

Uchiha Sasuke's work. It had to be. Both he and Sakura had seen the katana's wild lethalness he so listlessly controlled.

Apparently, a single one of the men had gotten close enough to just barely nick the object of their mission, the raven hair boy's tiny droplet of blood enough to have Kiba leading them to the shinobi. And now, they yet again had no trail. Hebi had moved from there in snow, the ivory cold melting along with any chance of another lead.

"_I wonder—why would these men have tangled with Hebi anyway; from what we've heard, Sasuke's mind is only on one target; Itachi."_

Kakashi's words once again sent his mind clicking.

And once again, it only led to frustration; to memory of Sakura's expression, worn, sad, not at all knowing that he was looking at her. Watching as it disappeared the second Hinata turned to ask something, quickly vanishing into a forced smile.

Back to the tiniest glimmer of a hope they were always too close to obtaining for it to never fall through.

To loss.

His best friend…

The kunai in his white knuckled fist cracked soundly into the tree bark besides him, and as the birds exploded into flight and wild cries, leaves rained down on the blond ninja.

They _would_ find him before Hebi's newest threat.

They had no other choice.

--

Almost immediately, Sasuke's eyes rippled to the dimming-dawn skies, then inches down to stare into the distance.

A large flock of birds only his strong vision could catch from such a distance surged upwards, speeding his way. In long minutes, they landed into the large tree whose trunk he leaned into, causing a tiny rain of leaves. His gaze moved past the plant life drifting to brush against him to settle into the clove of spiky pines he had seen them take off from.

It was at densely thick travel from such a point to where he sat. But still…

"Juugo…what have the birds seen?"

The large man's head rose up into the tree's sturdy branches, listening.

"There is a well-sized group taking up camp from where they were—someone scared them away…his chakra felt…disturbing to them. It's a mixture of normal chakra and something else…they didn't get a chance to see his headband, but he seemed upset."

"…Where was the rest of the group." It didn't at all sound like a question. It was a strict command.

_Something must be up_. "They say that the others were further off…the one who frightened them had wandered." 

"…Tell them," Juugo watched the boy slowly rise, "to keep an eye on those people, and to inform us the moment they make a step towards us. I have to confirm something." 

With a single whip of wind, Sasuke vanished.

--

Despite him wanting them too, Suigetsu's eyelids cracked half open, stealing away the dark of sleep he had allowed to dominate him.

Damn—it was indeed morning.

And of course, Sasuke was out on patrol, and Juugo was somewhere talking to his woodland friends.

_Karin, however…_

He carelessly rolled over, giving a quick shake of his head to clear the messy bangs from his vision before crouching up.

Sure enough, the girl lay entangled in her sheets, chest slowly rising and falling.

Tomorrow evening, Sasuke would give the final instructions before leaving with Juugo.

They would wait another day, and then follow as the plan told.

Of course, there was the one little detail…

_You and me._

The corner of his lip hooked up. But it fell as soon as he remembered her nurse.

_You and I are getting out of here._

They could leave a lot sooner… if he did what he was tempted to. But it would mean: A. Losing a tiny piece of his unmerciful reputation; B. Showing that he somewhat was actually concerned when it came to _her_; and C. Risking the chance of her using it against him.

_But you want to get out of here…those things shouldn't matter._

And he was abruptly aware of the fact that it had been quite a while since they had been close. He couldn't say he hadn't missed it.

Furthermore, he wasn't exactly happy over the fact that she still held some-- if any-- of the attention left that she wanted to give to the Uchiha. Part of his jaw gave a quick clench.

The leaf ninja already gave him orders. He was _not_ going to let him remind Karin just why she fell for him in the first place.

The tiny irritation sparked again, and it only fueled his increasing need to be with the girl.

Screw reputations. He'd need to warm up his chakra and refresh his memory to pull it off, though; with a soft breath he pushed into a stand and quietly left.

--

"So it's agreed then—the moment we all leave, we were never here," Sasuke concluded.

Nurse Shiro nodded, albeit warily. "This is neutral grounds—we usually don't answer those type of searching questions anyway."

"Arigatou," the boy dipped his head in a firm bow before turning to leave.

"But I must implore you," she recaptured his attention, "That you be careful. Your comrade was very close to not making it."

_Comrade._ He closed his eyes with an exhale before turning away, his footsteps silent. His real comrades were much farther away than this hotel. And he would have to keep it that way.

He had no other choice.

His paused at the stair's landing before spotting Suigetsu briskly making his way down the wooden planks.

The boy must've spot him as well, because he slowly came three steps away from him before halting, hand touching the banister.

"…Uchiha," he muttered in what hardly sounded like his usual greeting.

"Suigetsu," the prodigy replied. There had been something distanced in the Mist boy's salutation.

And when the pale haired shinobi staid where he stood instead of passing him, it only emphasized it.

"Suigetsu, I know you don't agree with Karin in the least bit, but there's no way the plan alone could've set you off like that…" he spoke quietly, brow furrowing the slightest.

The sword wielding boy's gaze leapt up, finding the slanted black orbs, and Sasuke noted it—his words had thrown him off.

But a carefree look slowly melted back over the boy's almost taken back expression, complete with the makings of a lazy grin.

"Yesterday? We just pressed each other's buttons too hard." 

Sasuke's eyebrow rose.

"Really, Uchiha—don't worry about it. I warned you she'd be trouble, but I also promised you I wouldn't hack her in half." He finished the few steps left, passing his leader. "You leaf ninja worry too much about people's emotions," Suigetsu called back over his shoulder, giving a dismissing wave of his hand.

"…What happened yesterday?"

If Sasuke weren't so keen in his senses that even thinking couldn't distract him, he would've gave a tiny jolt at Shiro's sudden appearance by his side with her concerned expression.

"…Nothing. Karin and Suigetsu don't…_exactly_ get along," he replied, trying to keep his irritation for the woman's eavesdropping utterly out of each syllable.

"Really?"

He couldn't help but look down at the medical aid's surprised voice. "I could have sworn there was something between them."

To his surprise, he felt a tinge of utter interest. "…What was that?"

Maybe Suigetsu was right…maybe this woman was out of her mind.

"Oh it's just…the look on his face, when he saw her in the hall. And the way she thanked him…oh well." She shrugged, giving up with an almost sad smile. "I guess when someone's life is on the line, even ninja forget hatred."

She strolled away, leaving him partially bewildered. _Karin…thanking Suigetsu…_Yes, this woman must be mad.

But then again…

He shook his head before moving away himself. The way those two snapped at each other for no reason, the time they took nit-picking every little flaw or weakness in the other to scavenge up whatever disabling insult they could use…there was no way.

--

"Naruto! There you are!"

Kiba's frustratedly elated voice yelled from above, the massive dog he was astride giving an even happier bark. Whiskered face lifted, the fox-ninja quickly found his companion among the thick branches.

"What, dattebayo?!" he hollered.

"_What_!? Man, where the hell have you been!? Akamaru caught a whiff of something, and after a little—!"

"You got his scent!?" Naruto exploded interruptedly, his grin crinkling his wide eyes just the tiniest.

"Hell yeah! Everyone's getting ready to move in, but we gotta be careful—remember what Kakashi said about that chakra-sensor-thing on his team!"

"Yeah, yeah I know! And your dog's sure about this?!"

"Trust me—we've got Sasuke and the three other scents he's with."

--

The rustle of the sheets against her skin as her slim legs stretched out filled her ears, the awakening kunoichi keeping her red eyes shut. The lack of glow on the insides of her eyelids told Karin it was late evening.

She must've been unconscious through the whole day.

There was something about falling asleep on medication that felt…empty. It felt more like awareness and time had simply left her instead of her leaving them.

But still…she had to admit it was better than feeling the pain continuously weaving in and out.

As she twisted to her side, her good arm laid itself out, extending across the rest of the mattress, and she couldn't help but remember…

How Suigetsu (that bastard) had fallen asleep in her arms. Despite herself, her lip gave a curl.

She hadn't expected him to touch her arm before drifting off…she remembered how her eyes had widened a bit at the emotional reaction she had felt. She wasn't one to be too fond of clichés, but...

Her heart had literally skipped a beat. And she had only been (rather sickly) giving him so much attention to make him sleep. There was no cause to feel anything from him if her affection wasn't all that real.

_But we could've knocked him out…instead you took "that" route. And with him of all people…wonder why…_

Her eyebrows furrowed, nose wrinkling the slightest before she finally opened her eyes.

"…Jeez…" she growled. Sometimes her thoughts sounded like they were against her.

And of course, his jealousy over the look she'd given Sasuke hadn't helped her against them either.

Really, it hadn't meant half as much as the idiot had read into…she was just pleased to have finally made the Uchiha pleased. Usually he just ignored her or sent her away. Of course, said almost enemy thoughts loved the little fact that she had tried to convince Suigetsu of it last night too.

A sudden—and cold—touch to her back that had somehow gotten under her shirt jerked the girl out of her reflecting with a startled noise.

One that was quickly canceled when she recognized the chakra.

"Damn it, kappa-teme," she growled under her breath through clenched teeth. She rolled over on her back to glare up at him only to have him utterly knock her anger away with surprise.

His chest pressed down on hers, head near her shoulder and arms pushing beneath her in what she was thinking to be some sort of hug.

At least until he was undoing the strap of her sling. Her hands gripped his shirt.

"What the hell are--!?"

"Karin," he whispered, interrupting her hiss, pulling back enough to meet her gaze. "Shut up." And with a slight wince, added, "Remember that this shirt is skin tight."

She squeezed her fingers tighter, glowering menacingly. "Not until you tell me what sick little plan you have now-aah!"

She clamped her jaw shut, grip loosening quite a bit as he pulled the sling off her arm without a single warning.

Pain immediately shot up the limb and she slumped back, eyes screwed shut. "I'm givin' you ten seconds to get the fuck--!" she started but fell completely silent when the look he gave her was what she could only describe as apologetic. Suigetsu _never_ apologized.

"I'm not pulling anything asshole-like, okay?" he grumbled into her ear. "Now relax already, psycho." And with a yank, the bandages around appendage fell loosely wrapped, revealing between its strips skin.

Still, she refused, especially as his thumb pushed against the thin layers of skin and weak muscle that had somewhat filled the hole in her arm, the rest of his fingers cupping the back of it.

Ignoring the growling whimper of pain that wrestled from her throat, he examined the bruised looking skin around the middle of her limb. Perfect—that nurse may have been annoying but she had given him exactly what he needed to make this work.

That is if he could concentrate despite Karin's crushing of his other arm. Seriously, the girl had a fair amount of strength when she was pissed. And if this throbbing was causing it, he didn't want to experience its full power with the next moves to be made.

But really—like he was going to tell her his good intentions. This was embarrassing enough as it was.

Pinning her free wrist to the mattress, his chest pushed down again, cheek pressed to hers.

"This is going to hurt like a bitch -like you- so brace yourself."

He was not at all expecting her to bite into his shoulder. It was most likely her final say in the matter, but if it would keep her from summoning everyone into the room with a single scream, he'd have to live with it.

Suigetsu squeezed the wound.

And his chakra shifted into and around it just as she bit down hard enough to be a fraction of an inch away from drawing blood, her hitched breath choking in her throat.

Fortunately for him, the pressure in her jaw gradually loosened further and further with each pass of energy from his fingers until she let go completely with something that sounded like a strangled sob.

He let go of her arms before quickly pulling away, and he knew she would've lashed out at him if she hadn't noticed what he had done.

So instead she simply stared at her right arm, breath uneven, face showing the evident shock and bewildered anger. Her eyes would flicker back and forth, between him and her inner elbow, mouth opening to say something but then closing just as quickly.

And all the meanwhile, he stood at a safe distance, fighting back the urge to simply leave because the awkwardness of it all was too much.

Finally, just as he was about to burst, her shoulders slumped, and her gaze fell from the wildness they had obtained. She gave a shaky swallow before glowering at the ground.

"You could have told me what you were doing…maybe then I wouldn't have bit you."

"Pheh…" he growled, looking away, refusing to acknowledge the fact that there was a warm hint of pink on his cheeks. Refusing the knowledge that he had yet again helped this girl. "You would have never believed me. And no one's gonna believe you, so don't go running around telling--"

"I didn't even know you…how…damn, I did not expect you to know how to heal things…" she murmured, interrupting him almost hoarsely. His attention flooded back to the girl, watching as she stared at her arm, stretching and bending it, giving curls of her fingers and using her other digits to feel the smooth, albeit discolored skin where the puncture used to be.

And even he couldn't help the swell of something in his chest when she looked up at him, red orbs filled with something he couldn't quite decipher.

"Suigetsu…" she whispered in a voice he could only call overwhelmed.

"Seriously, don't go around telling everybody. Put your bandages and sling back on and pretend it's still healing or something," he rushed in a quiet voice.

He glanced back at her and almost winced—the smothering look she was giving was more than unnerving.

"Really it's some stupid technique we all had to learn at the stupid Mist academy—it's supposed to be used for keeping people alive enough along to question 'em--!"

He almost stumbled back when the girl practically lunged at him, arms wrapping around his neck in a fierce hug, tucking her head under his chin.

Her body completely pressed against his and with a frustrated exhale, he gave up all hope. "I only did this so we'd move on faster, okay, just like that bitchy thing you pulled when my ass was freezing--!"

"God, do you have to ruin everything..." He paused at her filled to the brim voice and all its quivers, finally realizing what he had seen in her gaze.

Absolute adoration and speechless gratitude.

And because it was so incredibly different from the detestation and refusal she usually saved for him, because it was exactly what she would've given the Uchiha, he caved, arms moving tight around her waist.

Because it was what he had been hoping for.

And it only made tomorrow even more unbearable to wait for.

"…Damn you get emotional as hell when you're thanking people," he muttered, and she only buried further into his embrace.

"Stop talking."

**--**


	11. Chapter 11: Back on track

--

In the dark silence of his room, Juugo's ears perked. Thinking it a simple play on his senses, he allowed his head to droop back before it startled him again.

The flittering of wings. He quickly moved to his feet, starting towards the window. It was common knowledge birds did not fly in dark without specific purposes.

The pane of glass moved back to reveal several small birds on the outside sill, ruffled feathers against the cool and early morning air.

He leaned down slowly on splayed hands. _Are they…?_

A sparrow turned its beak towards him, beady black eyes blinking quickly. _Yes. They are from Leaf. We did not feel we were in any rush to tell you until they left. _

Another made a tiny jump over the one whom had just spoken to land on his forearm. _They are moving quickly, carefully! They remember a time in which their coming was foretold by the girl!_

Yet another of the flying animals fluttered closer. _But they are headed this way nonetheless, and speaking of your leader. I doubt we could make a pleasing distraction, but if you move through water, the dog units will not be able to track you._

Golden spikes of his hair moved just the slightest with Juugo's sharp nod, and as he lurched back up after a hurried thanking he couldn't help but feel comforted that the birds only took flight after he left and not in his hastened movements.

At least something trusted him.

--

_God damnit…_

Legs twisting even closer together, Suigetsu grumbled incoherently. He couldn't sleep at all, and had to blame it on his brief meeting with Karin.

Of course, his nose was one to strain for the newfound joy of her scent and she had practically doused him in it with that damn hug. He didn't dare curl up, even for warmth, in dread that it would send him thoughts.

Thoughts like the girl's fingers splaying against his chest, head tilting as it slowly inched down…warm breath falling across his upper lip, her mouth finally touching his…

His nose wrinkled. _No._ Hadn't he just agreed that he would not, under any circumstance, let himself be as pathetic as to—god forbid—_fantasize _about her? Now that the fear of losing her and the relief of not was officially gone, he found two sides of him in the clearing smoke, fighting for control when he was alone.

One side, the one he preferred to think of his normal side, had been there all his life. Karin was someone he enjoyed to insult.

Someone he couldn't help but annoy and get under the skin of to find every little word or pet peeve that would drive her over the edge. It had only gotten much more thrilling to do since they had grown inches closer; to see her react to him was almost addicting.

And then, there was that other side, one he knew had mysteriously appeared since the day she had almost died. And he hated it.

One that loved her smell and the heated memories triggered, relished the feeling he got from them. One that had sickeningly cared and winced every time he saw her arm, that actually got loose and fixed it, rewarded completely when she thanked him. One that wasn't like his regular self at all.

And one, that to his chagrin wouldn't stop prodding him, poking him about tomorrow and the days that lay ahead.

_We have a mission, dumbass,_ he mentally growled at himself. _And knowing her, she's going to be much more interested in fulfilling our part than_—He quickly tried to abort the thought but it engulfed him.

Her soft, hot skin pressing to his, arms clutching him closer and closer…his breath hitched.

_Shit_. It was like trying to deny her all over again, only now even more difficult because the part of him that wanted her was much stronger. And the gods knew just how much it would grow over the unknown time he would have with her.

"Stupid dictator-snake-pants and his stupid plans," he growled. The mist ninja had always been one to go with whatever pleasure he felt like, but letting it change everything about him was something he was _not_.

As if something had heard his new struggle, Suigetsu's head popped up from his pillow as someone creaked his door open.

"Oy, lazy-ass!" A painful kick to his rear quickly informed him it was indeed the object of his internal struggles hissing at him. If he had known she'd use the strength given from not having to endure the agony of her arm, he would've never done it.

"What!?" he snapped, wrestling himself from his bed as she yanked on his arm.

"We're moving out early—the Leaf ninja are swooping in again."

"Dear kami- don't they get it that Sasuke doesn't—ah!" He hardly finished his point before she shoved him out into the hall. With both arms, he noticed.

"Hey! Don't forget about what I told you—"

"Really, are you **that** afraid that Sasuke and Juugo will suddenly turn as immature as you and mock you for the rest of your life?" She heaved his massive sword until it leaned to his chest where he promptly attached it to his back with such ease even she felt a pang of admiration. Emphasis on pang.

She impatiently brushed past him, fastening the black cloak already draped about her shoulders even tighter, and he followed, frustratedly doing the same. What had happened to the genuinely overwhelmed with emotions thing?

If it was one thing he knew he would never get used to, it was the woman's bizarre (and violent) mood swings.

_Guess things are picking up where they left off for ambush number one._

--

Sasuke listlessly watched as the two bounded down the stairs in what he could only describe as a competition over who could get there the fastest, elbows and shoulders pushing and slurs of hushed words so horrendous he'd expect it from an already disturbed drunkard being repeatedly stabbed.

They stumbled into the landing, Karin an inch in front due to her rather vicious blow to her competitor's side.

Despite being somewhat pleased to see such a sudden increase in recovery and energy in the blood red haired kunoichi, it was like being in Team Seven all over again.

"If you two are done," he glowered slightly, "I need to go over a couple of specifics."

Suigetsu gave a quick glance around. "Coast's clear, captain." Karin rolled her eyes.

"With both Leaf and our stalker's employed clearly on our trail, we're going to need to move through specific water filled territories in the forest nearby. The second the sun hits its position of eight o'clock A.M, we travel normally but at fast speeds. The first town we hit, I'll give you final instructions before we split up. Until I give the call, we stay that way, but in union."

The final word was directly cast at Suigestu and Karin with a deliberate glance, one that the first returned carelessly and the second pouted.

He turned to the door, and without a moment's more hesitation or readying breath he lunged, his team close behind as they dove into the foggy, dark morning.

--

The scroll's scribbled message was only hard to read for its hand writing; despite the dim room and heavily shadowed in some corner's room, he could see every single word of how the next team still had no location of Hebi.

Fortunately, his noticing of how sharp his vision was distracted the hunched over man from such an annoyance.

_The eyesight I've gained…_

A pale hand rose from the darkness that covered his lap, and he eyed the blood spattered and smeared across it. _The power I've gained_…

The crushed and bloodied hawk strewn nearby him, the very creature who had brought him the message only to be thrust into such a condition with a simple squeeze from a single of his hands, gave a weak cry.

He glowered down at the bird before placing splayed fingers above it, watching it twitch in mad fear. A wicked, upwards curl of his lip couldn't be helped.

_How I will use them to kill you, Sasuke…_

He didn't even have to concentrate for his chakra to flow forth and down to the animal's broken body, and his eyes lit up over its glow, watching carefully as every bone and gash fixed themselves, until the only evidence of neglect was its missing or blood matted feathers.

…_and keep such a rebelling girl alive enough to help me do so._

The hawk immediately tried to take flight, but he attached his reply to leg he caught hold of before finally releasing it, listening to its panicked flight and wild screeches.

It would be daybreak soon.

--

Even with the wind rushing past his ears and the occasional splash as his chakra coated foot brushed over the water's surging top, Suigetsu heard it.

The sharp cry that quickly dipped into a deep, lengthy moan; he had no idea wolves lived in the area.

"Oy, Juugo!"

His requested teammate's eyes flicked to their corners as the boy fell into leap besides him.

"You hear that?!" he shouted over the fast paced river beneath them.

"Yes." It was eerie how the massive ex-inmate's voice could be heard over any noise without him even so much as raising a syllable.

"Did you understand it?! Did it just kill something, or is it trying to call Karin to finally come back home!?"

"Kkkkaaaaaaapppppaaaa-ttttteeeeemmmmmeee!" the girl's voice called back, irritated and sharp.

He sent her over the shoulder glare a toothy grin and with a growl she resumed scouring the land around them for any sense of incoming life.

"I have to say I feel kind of bad," Sasuke monotonously hollered over the rapids, and she eyed him. "Sticking you guys together." 

"Ah forget about it," she yelled back, and then raising her voice so that Suigetsu could easily hear, "It's just karma reminding me I'm his bitch by putting me through hell with that lazy-ass snaggletooth!"

A small curl fought its way to Juugo's lip at the utterly incredulous devastation the name brought the Mist Ninja's face. Obviously she had found his one major insecurity, because he clamped his lips over his teeth, scowling with what looked like he was nursing his pride.

The golden haired colossal had to feel just a small pang for the boy, even if he deserved it with the way he treated everyone.

"The wolf was warning us that this is his territory," he provided Suigetsu with a distraction.

"Well he'd better be careful! One look from psycho-four eyes and he'll explode!!!"

And Karin's face instantly falling from her triumphant and almost maniacal smirk to seething and vengeance seeking only made Sasuke inwardly sigh. He couldn't exactly say he wouldn't be missing their never-ending bickering.

He abruptly focused his attention when the girl leaping besides him jerked her head up.

"You sense something?" 

"Yeah! Looks like the river heads straight into town or we're approaching one hell of an ambush! It's still up a while, though!"

Black bangs rippling in the wind and occasion spray of water, Sasuke swiveled to face Juugo and Suigetsu.

"We're going to move through the trees now and make sure it's her first guess! Stay close and _don't_ hit vital points should it come to battle!"

The Mist Nin rolled his eyes but leapt to into the clove of trees hugging the rocky bank, rustling through leaves.

Karin landed in the tree in front of him, and he felt a small contentment that the girl lingered until he was besides her before launching off.

"You know," she allured his attention, "I kind of missed abusing you."

He cracked a grin, shaking his head. "You have no idea."

"Well I still have a round ahead of you."

His grin soon melted into a cocky smirk, eyes surveying the woods around him. Juugo and Sasuke must've landed on the other side.

"Just because I felt bad for you these past couple of days doesn't mean I've changed."

"Really?"

His face distorted in utter confusion at the closeness of her voice, almost thoughtlessly jumping for the next branch. His head whipped back to find her straight in front of him, sailing to the next tree backwards.

Due to his current position of leaning forwards and hers of going back, they were awfully close. Too close, he realized, because she easily brushed her mouth against his.

The shock of her lips touching his after what had seemed like an eternity clenched his stomach, warming his neck and face…it almost made the hurdle slow down as something in his chest winded tightly.

_Karin_…

WHAM.

The air completely tore from his startled lungs as he took the next thick branch right in the stomach. Her laughter rang in his ears over his loud "Oof!" 

Pathetically clinging with both arms and one leg to the bark, he struggled to regain his breath and with wide, glaring eyes, watched as she landed harmlessly on the trunk above him. _She must've flipped, the bitch!_

Red hair seemingly reached down to him as she kept her glasses in place with a single finger.

"Round three," was all she murmured before spinning off in a complete circle. He couldn't help but watch her back arch gracefully before she landed and moved on.

Of course, it was only then that he regained his muster, scrambling back to his feet and after the girl he knew he was now chasing on every level.

--

**XD I couldn't help it—that whole scene of her getting the upper hand on him has been going through my head for weeks. I don't know if you guys felt it was weird or not, but I really put them back into the groove of totally bashing one another. It's not SuiKa without a little loathing, right?**

**Sorry that I added a little more Juugo and Sasuke than usual. I've loved Sasuke sense I first became a Narutard, and frankly, Juugo's just too…well, Juugo. I love the whole Hebi team. I really do.**

**Thanks again for being so patient and I'm grateful to those who hung on, because the next chapters are when these two are going to have a lot of…alone time. XD**

**LoVe,**

**Houkou.**


	12. Chapter 12: Start again

**This is the longest chapter by far, and probably one of the hardest due to things I'm not going into. T-T I'm sorry, but I wanted to throw a lot in. I think you guys will appreciate it, though…unless I suck. Anywho, this one was made with SuiKa love, so read it anywho. **

**--**

She felt him before she heard him—the slow, wavy patterns, rippling up with every small use of its power; the boy's distinct chakra was getting even easier to find.

The leaves and twigs rustled the slightest before he hung in an upside down fashion besides her, hair falling to reach at the ground far below the branch she was perched on.

"Well, looks like you were right…" the Mist prodigy lazily grinned, folding his arms behind his head. "We've found ourselves a town."

"…How the hell do you keep that sword from weighing you down?" she distractedly replied, focusing more on the buildings ahead.

He glanced over at the strain in her voice—the girl looked paler than usual.

"You're uglier than usual."

She grimaced slightly, and something told him it wasn't from his insult.

"…Still working off stuff, hmm?"

"Oh shut it," she snapped. "I'm just a little dizzy…anyway, don't bug me—I have to concentrate here." And at first, to her surprise, she thought that he might be listening, because it was silent--

"…How do you keep Sasuke from gagging whenever he sees your face?"

Utter and despising silence.

With a laugh, he twisted to land on a branch lower. "You asked for it, pulling such a mean trick."

"Shove it fang-face."

He mocked a pout before creeping a tree further in, but inwardly grinned "So…why aren't we just leaping in…?"

"Because Juugo and I have to clear the area first."

"…Juugo?"

"See the birds, bastard? They're searching one half, I'm scanning the other."

With a quick glance, he found several flocks of sparrows fluttering and flitting about, but not to a degree that would draw attention.

Karin's glare increased at his snort.

"Ah, come on—are Leaf ninja really this scared?"

The leaves crackled as the girl appeared besides him, tugging down her sleeve to reveal the scarred and bruised looking skin in the middle of her arm.

"Does it _look_ like we can handle anything? I'm still working off the remaining poison and you wanna play _fearless_? At least he's thinking!" she snapped.

Her eye almost twitched when the boy pulled the sleeve back up with a casual expression.

"We were ambushed. Last time I checked it means some coward-ass took a team of coward-asses and jumped a very deranged group in a smaller number. We now know that there's a whole load of coward-asses, so why hold back? Besides," he pushed her limb back.

"I'm the one who got you out of those messes and I happen to be_ your_ partner."

She blinked, taken aback. For a moment. "I can take care of myself, damn it."

He chuckled, soft and light.

"Yeah, I know you're a big enough psycho, but even those types need help every now and then."

A scoff escaped in her exhale. "Yeah, well so do yours." She roughly poked him in the chest before looking back just in time.

"Op—there's the signal. Look's like we're okay."

He followed her gaze just as several of the tiny birds left their flocks for a single, quick circle before every one dispersed, torpedoing into the trees.

"Well, if that doesn't freak out birdwatchers…well, crazy-ass—" he mocked a bow—"Ladies first."

Throwing him a dirty look, the girl plummeted down, the boy close in tow, his smile fading. _No one's going to touch you this time_.

--

"Hey!"

The Uchiha's ears perked as Suigetsu's voice hit him. "This looks a hell of a lot bigger than the last one!"

Briskly, the raven haired boy's sharp eyes found him through the thick foliage he staid hidden in above. The white hair definitely stood out among any surroundings.

"Do you ever stop talking? And this isn't our hotel, it's further up, dumbass—you never listen, do you?"

Coal black eyes shot back to catch Karin carefully catching up, but not before she eyed the branches he had settled into. She must be even able to sense masked chakra.

_Good—at least one of them's keeping things subtle._

"Excuse me if I don't love taking orders—I bet you memorized everything to the point of saying it backwards."

"Well someone's got to listen—I'm not going to get killed _again_ because I'm stuck with a brainless fish."

It sounded perfectly normal.

But there was something off here…

He blinked, before leaning in closer, staring at the girl's arm. What, exactly had happened to the sling?

She could be pulling something so that the enemy that had slipped past their defenses would think she was capable of sheer fight. He only had a moment to muse it over before another detail caught his sharp sight—she moved it freely, not showing a single sign of pain.

_No one could have pulled that kind of acting off…_

…He had read somewhere, back in his studies, that all water related chakra had a certain healing property…

No…it wasn't possible. Not in a million years. Suigetsu had a strict no mercy policy for one thing, and for the next, he'd rather see her out of all people suffer, especially if it meant teasing without extreme backlashes it took both of her arms to pull off.

_You're jumping to impossible conclusions again…_He had more important things to do anyway, none of them concerning these two in the least bit.

They would keep each other busy for quite some time with the usual, almost never provoked snaps.

And a half and hour later, the Uchiha was unknowingly announced correct—the second they entered the hotel room, the Mist Ninja pounced on the first opportunity he saw.

"Take off your shoes," he waved his hand dismiss fully. "No one wears shoes inside."

"What!? I'm not taking my shoes off!" she bristled, pushing her glasses closer to her eyes.

"Sure you are! I am," he deliberately mocked innocence, kicking his own sandals off. They each nearly cracked into the wall. And he couldn't help but grin at her more than pestered look, watching her cocking her hip to the side and pressing a hand to it.

"You know for a fact that these are practically _pants_," she spat, growling so lowly that any intelligent man would've quickly eyed the exit. But Suigetsu was known for his fearlessness, even when considered seemingly stupid.

He took pride in it.

"It's your fault for wearing such ridiculously short…shorts." Not that he minded.

She didn't budge though her face did earn the smallest of pink hues. And he exhaled with a hint of frustration.

"Oh come on—like your legs are really worth my attention."

The splash of his head under her fist resonated in the room. "Bastard," she grumbled, turning on her heel and would've stalked to the other side of the room if a strong arm hadn't snaked her waist.

Suigetsu's reformed head rested on her shoulder. "Seriously," he grinned, giving her an obnoxious squeeze when she met his gaze with a hard glare. "You should get comfortable—like you said, you're still working stuff off. Plus we're supposed to study the outlines of the city and move out tonight to see if we found anything interesting."

"Since when," she incredulously- and rather derisively- asked, "Have **you** been so god damned goal oriented?"

"The Akastuki could be anywhere," he deliberately did a poor job imitating Sasuke's deep and monotonous tenor, hand leaving her stomach to wiggle his fingers over her head. She rolled her eyes, pushing her lenses up again.

With her middle finger, he noted.

"I saw that."

She broke from the unnoticed lean into him and held it over her shoulder while continuing to the other corner of the room. "That's what I was going for."

"That's cold," he threw out. "But whatever…I'm going to take a shower."

"Oh so _now_ we can screw the mission."

"Hey, I can't help it if I want to smell good. Not all of us are dirty animals like you."

"I took a shower WAY before we left, bastard!" she dully snarled. He gripped the doorknob to the bathroom as a bold push entered his mind.

"Heh…just when I was thinking about inviting you."

Something smacked the back of his head so harshly that he cringed before whipping around. Her boot.

He glanced up at her near seething expression, but it quickly changed to desperation when he smiled keenly.

"Suige—"

"I'm taking this," he plucked her black wader from the floor and lunged into the bathroom, listening to her long string of bitter curses before they were drowned out by the water exploding from the shower head.

--

As much as the boy loved the way the hot stream gushed over him, he couldn't enjoy it as much as he wanted.

Because alone time meant it was also time for a nagging, bothersome gnat of a thought to ruin his utter relaxation.

That the very girl sitting just outside this temporary comfort zone now had feelings for him- good!- and lingering ones for the Uchiha- bad!- and therefore, was to his utter contempt, stuck at some unknown point between them.

What was so great about dictator snake pants, anyway? For crying out loud, the man wore a butt-bow—he looked ridiculous. And he always ignored her advances. Though Suigetsu knew she had pulled them without Juugo or himself as witnesses, she had always snuck the Leaf Ninja's back an utter look of longing.

Strange—he never thought it would one day piss him off, the way Sasuke so easily discharged such- albeit creepy- adoration when he was at the moment struggling to find a way to earn it without giving up a single one of his favorite hobbies, annoying the shit out of her included.

But he was also grateful. If the raven haired boy had been there when the girl was drunk, if he had fallen into the same emotions as she had back at Sound with what had happened…

Suigetsu wouldn't have had a single opportunity. He would've missed seeing that tiny part of her that would lead them to the mess they were in now.

And it was just like that now, wasn't it? The Uchiha, even if unwillingly, still had some spotlight. He was just going to have to prove to the girl that he--

The Mist ninja blinked—because he just noticed the bar of hard soap in his hand was utterly crushed, squished between his fingers.

He didn't remember squeezing it at all. With a flat look on intolerance, he shook his fingers free of the fragrant mash, and it was just another thing to get used to—emotions so strong that they blinded him.

_God damn it…what is this woman doing to me…?_

But still. The Mist Ninja saw his opportunity with the unknown amount of time. Karin would see things his way.

The single thought lingered, too strong to leave, even as he slipped from the now heavily fogged room, gaze instantly finding her.

She was sitting on her bed, hunched over several unrolled maps, chin propped up by an elbow resting on her knee—

Her bare knee. Connected to her bare legs, folded neatly on the sheets.

"You lost the shoes, eh?" he muttered, gaining her attention and remembering to meet her eyes. But she didn't look up, and therefore, he stared at her smooth looking calves.

"Well you stole one, and it's ridiculous to only wear one," she spoke casually. But her voice quickly gained venom. "This doesn't mean I'm going to go boot-less all the time. It just means you got lucky."

"Jeez…" This time she did glance up.

"Just because you over-analyze everything everyone does doesn't mean the world's doing it too…" he paused. Because the girl's stare was a little to intent. And for once, not in a glare of any kind.

He followed her almost keen vision line to his bare upper torso, the lines of muscle and pale skin a shine with water.

…It was clear the girl was no longer disgusted with seeing inches of his flesh. Damn—he had been going for _that_, not for this stare-crap.

"…Ka…" A much better idea than bluntly gaining her attention wickedly spread from his mind to his mouth, curling the corner of his mouth up in a smirk. There would always be a way.

"…Funny…" he chuckled softly, and only at the amused noise did she finally snap out of it, meeting his eye.

"Here I was telling myself not to stare at your legs…"

Abruptly, and just as he was predicting she would, the girl launched into defensive mode in all its flustering, stammering glory.

"N-No! Hell no! Who the hell just waltz's out in a towel--!?"

"Hn…how disappointing. You usually come up with much better excuses," he calmly interrupted her spit fire.

"Gah! No! Go get dressed, you freaking—"

She stiffened, eyes wide as he let the scruffy white material slip just an inch more, revealing the beginning of his left hip and upper abdominal.

"Eh…" he muttered, faking guiltless embarrassment so horribly that she snarled. He pulled the towel tight again before plucking his pants from the ground and slipping back into the smaller space, leaving the door a crack open.

"So what'd we got?" he called, voice slightly amplified by the tiles around him.

She grumbled something ending with "teme" before finally asserting herself to answer. "Several key spots—our half of town though, is nothing compared to Uchiha and Juugo's."

"So-" he paused to pull his shirt over his head, "we've got less work?"

She snorted. "I should've known you'd be a lazy—"She barely got over the stupor of his soaring shadow before shoving the maps and notes away from his landing point. Despite her gritted teeth over how he almost crumpled every piece of paper in sight, she had to admit the litheness of the leap—he didn't bounce once as he hit the mattress at her side.

"Ass" she finished, directing the word even more so into the insult range.

He grinned with half-lidded eyes and she shoved a scroll into his face.

"I saved the hardest stuff for you."

"However shall I see what you have when I only have two eyes!?" he dramatically pressed his arm over said eyes, earning a solid thump to the back of his head.

"Do you ever stop annoying me!?" she hissed, ramming her forehead to his temple. Sometimes her blows came too fast to liquefy or duck.

"Ow, okay, okay, I'll study. Geez, you're worser than Uchiha." 

"…Worser…? When you're done with that, I'll get you a dictionary." Why was he interested in her again?

Whatever. Maybe if he got on her good side, the girl could see something she'd want to spend time with.

_That means "focus." Not on her, on this stupid map. _It couldn't be that hard, ignoring the girl. He'd done it countless times when she wouldn't shut up.

Suigestu sighed heavily, unrolling the marked and trailed paper, idle finding images hidden in its dark green and decorated border.

He dully noticed, after running his finger along a long river that Karin hadn't moved.

"It's rude to read over people's shoulders," he muttered carelessly. But his interest was seized back quite quickly when the girl's nose nudged into his hair.

And even further so when her chest leaned against his arm as she breathed in. Deeply. His eyes slowly and carefully peeled away from the chart to their corners, watching as she turned her head, leaning it against the top of his.

"You smell better than you look, I'll give you that. Of course, you did just take your first bath in what, four years?"

Despite the minor assault, he could feel it coming back, crawling from where he had thrown it in the woods earlier that morning. That feeling, gnawing, pushing, kneading.

That hunger…

For her.

He swallowed. Thickly, to his disdain. He opened his mouth to say something, but found to his chagrin that nothing was there. Not a single worthy retort or touché lingered in his mind.

And he refused to use the meager ones. They were nothing against what he was-god damnit- struggling against.

She must've noticed the silence, because she pulled back, and he quietly thanked and cursed whatever had shifted through her mind.

At least until he felt her slightly parted lips press to his cheek before she had fully turned around and hunched yet again over her work.

_Damn it damn it damn it damn IT! That bitch! That…that bitchity bitchy bitch!!! Why'd she do that!? Well gee, genius_—_she did just see you partially naked._ His head shook furiously, quickly clearing the thoughts.

Unfortunately, Suigetsu wasn't used to denying himself what he knew he wanted. So much so, that letting her just leave it at that felt like she had just slapped him instead.

And frankly, staring at a map wasn't the most exciting thing he had done in a while.

…_Speaking of while_… o_h god I haven't kissed her in years…_The reaction his body had given back in the woods, when her mouth had briefly touched his...

Inwardly growling, he heaved the pent up air in his lungs away before something softly struck in his mind, something that towed his gaze to the girl.

What was holding him back, anyway…?

Even in her childhood days, Karin could always focus fully on something she knew she should be doing.

Some part of her always knew it was a distraction to the horrors around her, even standing strong when Orochimaru's foul presence was still at the tip of her senses. The moment she had learned to repress her power, she forced herself to do so around the snake eyed shinobi.

His chi was just too…she clenched her teeth slightly at the memory, feeling the tiny hairs on her nape rise.

So if she could block out the most horrendous, overwhelmingly inhuman company…

…why the hell was it so hard to block out _his_? Though possible he could be worse…

God damnit—as not to clue the boy next to her in on a single thing, she shoved hand against her face, careful not to smash her glasses into her screwed shut eyelids. She was still trying to figure out why she had just unthinkingly kissed him.

_Last time I checked, Uchiha was a better option than that thing._

…Oh God…why did…how could…that suddenly sound…_wrong_?

_Suigetsu's just done a lot of crap for us lately…you're feeling thankful…he saved us, healed our arm, we saw him practically naked—_

She twitched violently before mentally snapping the thought into millions of pieces. _I do not have time for this--_

She nearly jumped from her almost panicked thoughts when Suigetsu's foot pushed against her back, his deliberately loud yawn filling the room for a moment.

A moment too long, apparently, because she whirled on him, glowering.

He was stretched out on his back, limbs extended, the scroll tied up neatly and settled on the nightstand. As if he sensed her glare, he opened a single eye.

"Still can't stop staring…?"

The Mist Nin grinned lazily, broadly, when the girl smacked the papers around her into the air before collapsing on her side. She knew best, besides Juugo, how to express her wrathful anger; the fluttering sheets were only now beginning to descend from the ceiling, warily keeping their distance.

His gaze bore into the back of her head, teal eyes finding the strange border between her bristled spikes and straight strands. Seriously, where had the girl come up with such a haircut…?

"How is it that you can annoy the _shit_ out of me without even trying?"

His grin fell, but not from lack of contentment. In fact, it merely softened. _So you're feeling the same way…_

He once again held the cure to her ail, and once again, it would only truly work if she went along with it.

"You know…" She stiffened as his finger tips traveled across the blankets to almost touch her.

"It helps…if you just forget about everything else."

She rolled over on her belly, smacking his hand away. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well," he rolled to his side, head resting on the fists propped up by his elbow, "Neither of us can figure out why on earth we'd…like _that_. I mean, last time I checked, you loved to hurt me as much as I love to insult you."

Her harsh look weakened, but unbeknownst to Suigetsu as he eyed the finger he was so diligently making circles with into the pillow nearby.

"So if you just forget about me hating you and you hating me, the fact that I saved your ass, oh wait, remember that," She rolled her eyes at his small slip of cockiness, "Uchiha, Juugo, maps, and all the rest of that shit…" 

He found her gaze, but found it even harder to unflinchingly lock with due to its unexpected softness.

"It's just easier to deal with."

"…When the hell did you start sounding smart without making sense?"

He blinked, but quickly grinned none the less. "As I recall, I may be stupid but I make sense."

"That's not what I said at all."

"Guess I forgot too much, but you still remember that night, ne?"

An inexorable blush hit her features, and her fine eyebrows shot down as she sat up. "N-no! I'm not a perverted freak like you-!"

Before her hand could predictably touch her glasses, his had snatched her wrist and pulled. And a tumble of movement ensued so quickly that she couldn't find her bearings until she was on her back. She closed her eyes, cursing. Because it only meant one thing.

He was on top.

She felt the white strands of his hair brush across her face before his nose touched hers. It shifted slightly, and warm breath fell across her upper lip…

_Oh god…_And she couldn't stop the small tremor that ran down her body, hating that he definitely felt it.

"Get off," she growled, low and weak.

But the small push her arms gave was so pathetic to the strength she could've used that it contradicted her sentence.

The smirk that had bloomed when he felt her body tremble beneath his only grew. He _loved_ pushing the girl to that brink, the one that she would finally lash out in and yet do so at unpredictable times.

His fingers wove around her wrist again, pulling, only this time to place her hand on the nape of his neck, mouth finding her ear through silky strands of hair.

"You want me to, don't you?" The hot breath and whispered words only made it harder to glare, and despite her refusal to fall to temptation where he had, harder to breathe.

Her head twisted, mouth meeting his own ear, and as she gripped Suigetsu's neck where he had placed her hand in the first place, the boy above stiffened to hear her.

"Do what?" she murmured, and the intensity in her voice shook him.

"Remind you…of that night." She felt his mouth inch closer, felt his fingers twisting into her shirt.

Felt his need.

She even heard it on the wedge of his breath when she deliberately snuck her hips under his.

His weight lifted for just the slimmest of seconds. But she was quicker than that. Because like _hell_ would she let _him _control _her_ in any situation.

A surprised noise escaped his throat as the girl pushed up against him, knocking him on his back.

And as her legs gripped his sides, body settling back to sit on his hips, he knew the tables had indeed turned. And most likely not in his favor.

"Suigetsu," she muttered, inclining her chin while casting down a look of sheer supremacy, glasses reflecting the thin strands of afternoon light…

"I am not one to replay past events." …Damn.

And disappointment was on its edges, ready to pour over its brim and drown him. But something shoved it away. His own little dam of tenacity.

"Karin," he griped, allowing only the tiniest of discontentment slip onto his features, "I don't know what's holding you back, but whatever it is, I'm going to stab it."

She cocked her head, fixing her lenses before folding her arms. "What?"

"Oh come on." He noticed how quickly her attention snapped to the hands suddenly placed on her hips, keeping her where she was. "No one's around to tell us what we have to do."

His hands slipped a little higher to gently squeeze the curves on her lower sides, and he felt the slim muscle there flex in response. He couldn't say it wasn't a pleasing effect.

…If her fingers hadn't gripped his in what almost felt like a warning.

"Suigetsu—"

"I'm serious." She looked back into his teal eyes and realized with a tinge of surprise that he was. Her hands loosened considerably.

"Trust me, usually I wouldn't even want to look at you, but right now…god, so much shit has happened in such a short time…" Her hands let go of his completely.

Because the man beneath her wasn't the usual asshole at the moment. And he could see the softening in her features, the little bits of guard coming down to let him past. It was all he needed to finally spit out what had been devouring his insides for the past hours.

The lack of any place to hide while he spilled it, though, forced his head to the side, eyes adverting hers even as his grip tightened on her.

"First, you had me all confused and totally smacked out of everything I was situated in. Then you almost die on me like some stupid reckless freak. Then you force me to let go of my strict-no-mercy policy and save your _ass_ only to heal your freakin' arm. And yeah, you made me want to punch Sasuke's jaw off." He had to glance back here to see if the girl was still looking at him.

She held his gaze with something he couldn't quite name, but he finally broke away to stare at the wall again.

"But in between all that crap…all that annoying, stressful crap…I felt stuff I've never experienced. I don't mean to sound corny, but god…that's what it is. You make me feel like an utter weakling. Like some…" he groped for a word before spitting one out bitterly, "_pansy_. You actually made me feel bad when you went through all that pain. You made me feel…"

His eyes closed with a growl, struggling. "Screw it. You confused me, you scared me, you made me pity you, you made me jealous and then some. I mean, I should hate you for all that, hate you more than I ever have, but I want you instead because I know you're feeling something too. Do you know," he finally, unflinchingly, locked eyes with her, "how confusing that is?"

"…So--"

"Yes, damn it. I want time with you. I'm fucking glad to be away from Dictator and Crazy Ass. I'm glad you can't drool over _him_. Because right now," he sat up, fighting down the thrill of how close they already were enough to speak, "I want you."

He wanted her just how she was that night, or night when he finally confronted her again. Open, vulnerable, maybe feeling even a little reckless.

Feeling just like him.

Because that was what he had missed the most.

Her forehead dipped down and touched his, and the breath that was falling across his almost begging mouth was quickened, he noted.

"Suigetsu," she murmured, and he couldn't help but close his eyes at the way she said it.

He almost jumped at the touch to his stomach, the one slowly slipping up to his chest where fingers splayed. The skin there, beneath his shirt, almost burned with yearning to be free of the material to feel it fully.

He felt her give a rough shove and his back met the mattress again. Only this time, she was looking down with something he could recognize. Because it was what he was feeling.

"I'm not going to replay events _improperly_."

Suigetsu's teal orbs rolled. "You'll never let me decide anything for you, huh?"

"Well somebody's got to fix your faults—you have too many. For starters, my glasses were off." One hand left his chest to snatch her lenses away.

_For starters…?_

"And for the second thing…" One of his eyebrows gave a quick raise.

The same hand holding her lenses lowered, and teal eyes grew almost startled as her thumb and finger gripped the zipper hugging her shirt's thin collar so securely together and close to her throat.

And if it had been harder to breath before, it was only getting harder; she slowly lowered herself to him, pulling the fastener down in time.

But he still caught the blush under her slanted eyes, and though they were half lidded as she touched his nose with hers, thick strands of spiky and smooth crimson slipping off her shoulders and onto his, he could see the tiny hints of utter vulnerability hidden among their blood-red pools.

That move had exposed something she had only let him see under intoxication. Neither had expected such boldness, though he now knew he should've—he was messing with Karin, after all. She was the queen of audacity.

"…my shirt was like this," she softly finished, a shocking shyness melted somewhere along her smooth tenor. He had only caught it because for once in his life he was actually straining to hear every syllable she had to offer.

And just because she couldn't take the sudden timid feeling she wasn't at all used to flaring up inside along with the need to show Suigetsu who exactly decided things around here, she lowered her mouth to his, arms moving to the side of his head.

But of course he interrupted. "…Wasn't I on top…?" Since when had his voice sounded that husky?

She frowned. "Yeah, well I was drunk and I had a gash in my stomach—we can't cover everything, obviously."

Screw it. He'd dominate her some other time.

The white haired boy closed his eyes, reaching up and finally pulling her mouth down on his. And the feelings he expected were suddenly unexpected. He could only blame it on the length of time since he had felt them, like a drunk finally breaking his sober act with a single glass.

A very delicious glass.

The familiar softness of her mouth and close by warmth; the way her fingers curled against his chest when he crushed her against him; the way she tasted and how her scent washed over him…his eyes squeezed shut even tighter, feeling every bit of it, caving with a quiet sound.

She knew he was going to try to make her now, more than ever, forget about their duties and just about everything else. She had even prepared herself for it by finding control over the situation. But now…despite her absolute chagrin, her stubborn refusal to admit it even to herself…

She didn't want to pull away, and as her fingers found his surprisingly soft hair, she suddenly found herself wondering why she'd want to.

Even more so when the boy pulled just a fraction of an inch back to run his tongue along her lower lip.

"Mn…didn't know you were one to wear that weird stuff…" he murmured against her before covering her mouth again. Her brow furrowed.

"…Lip gloss?"

"Yeah, that crap."

Her lips curled up against his. "Suika," she muttered, breathing into his mouth, settling more comfortably into him. He fought back a small shudder.

"What?"

"Its watermelon flavored."

"Those things come with flavors…" It was more of a statement than a question, and this time his tongue traced her upper lip too.

"You seem to," she observed, pausing with a hitch of breath as one of his hands splayed against her bare belly, "enjoy that."

"Hn." His hands slipped along her sides, under her parted shirt to push into the curve of the kunoichi's back, bringing her impossibly closer as his nose nudged her ear.

"You seem to like this yourself."

--

** XD BWA-HA-HA!!! Review for a faster update!!! …Unless that sucked, in which case be cruel so I can try to fix mistakes. **

**And I know there's the possibility of those who read but don't review no matter what happens-- falls to knees I beg of you—reviews seriously make my day. They make me run to my computer with joy to type and update.**


	13. Chapter 13: Battle

**Woo…I battled school projects just to come down with an obnoxious flu, but now that I'm finally shaking off nausea, I can finally update. Yay! Anywho, this one's for Kyra Fawxe** **who apparently read this entire story in two hours. O-o I wouldn't have even done that. **

**Here's to hoping my recovery didn't put me in an illusion that this was good and it actually sucks. Cheers! (chugs Theraflu before coughing violently at it's horrible taste)**

**--**

She was warm. Everything about her seemed to be.

It had been several minutes since the boy had relaxed fully against the mattress, welcoming her advances; needless to say, he had always been a fan of warmth. And it seemed to have been growing with each passing second since then.

Her humid, soft skin in his tight arms, the heat of her breath when it hitched in his mouth, her hot tongue finding his…

It was exactly what the Mist tensai had missed. Being close to her in a way he knew no one else had or could have, not even the Uchiha. And on a bed. That was _definitely _something of interest.

He dully realized that he had only ever kissed her mouth, and he couldn't help but feel an abrupt urge to change the fact.

Suigetsu's lips disappeared from hers so quickly that the girl's eyes remained closed even as her brow furrowed. _What-?_

They shot open, however, when an open mouth pressed to her cheek, then behind her ear, to the bottom of her jaw, her eyelids lazily falling shut again with a content smile as he slowly trailed down her neck in a vigilant mixture of tongue and lip.

The white haired shinobi listened intently for her soft sounds or sharp inhales, pausing only when he had unexpectedly found her pulse. It felt so similar to his...

"Hn…" His amused breath gusted over her skin as he lingered, surprising her with a much more affectionate kiss than the others. "You really are enjoying this, huh?"

Her fingers gently gripped the hair falling in between them and she inhaled his scent again; fresh rain clinging to the outside world, droplets slowly slipping from petals and leaves, running down blades of grass.

She buried her face in the soft strands, feeling the gentle scrap of teeth graze the curve of her neck in response, allowing a breathless moan to escape her.

Yes, she was (like she would tell him) enjoying this; the opposing feelings, the outer bitterness she always felt around him were suddenly nowhere to be found, and in their places feelings she wouldn't take the time to fully describe.

Something close to a bittersweet longing, painful but pleasurable at the same time…

Perhaps something that she realized she did not mind having around him.

Almost absent mindedly, Suigetsu gave a careful nip—the last thing he wanted was to draw blood and have the girl above him snap. Or worse- stop the whole thing entirely.

He was instead pleasantly surprised to feel the spine under his arms arch just the slightest, her legs tightening around his hips.

_A sensitive spot_…?

It wasn't too long till he found another, and she twisted lightly against him, unable to stop herself from moving.

So with a suppressed grin he bite down as much as he could with such teeth, suckling—

Karin's weight shifted as she freed the portion of skin. _What—_

Her body suddenly felt tense…he quickly found her narrowed eyes.

"Suigetsu—" Damn. How was she supposed to state anything with such a breathy tone? She swallowed heavily before continuing. "What do you think you're doing?"

As she somewhat expected, he propped himself up on his elbows with a blink, confused.

A frustrated sigh escaped the red haired kunoichi. "_God_—listen, you can't go leaving marks wherever the hell you please."

"…_Oh_," he muttered before a distracted smile twitched at his lip. "Guess we can't have Sasuke and Juugo wondering, eh?" And the smile quickly rose into a wicked curl.

"Just where _can_ I mark you?" Yet again, she felt the powerful muscles in his abdominal flex as he sat up against her.

And for the umpteenth time, the girl felt a wedge pound itself in her stomach and breath as his hands slowly followed up the curves of her sides, stopping to feel the individual ribs beneath.

It _was_ stranger than hell, though, that it was Suigetsu making her feel this way, that it was Suigetsu against her, _his_ hands and mouth on her body. A couple of weeks ago and she would've killed him for even looking at her in a suggestive way. A couple weeks ago, she's be fantasizing about being with the Uchiha like this, about Sasuke making her feel and act this way.

And yet…here she was with _him_. The boy she was supposed to hate. And all she could think about at the moment was how he was starting to take control again.

Of course, his eyes lifted instantly at the flicker of movement—her shoulders shrugged the slightest, and he stiffened, intently eyeing the material around them slip down her arms, revealing her cream skinned shoulders…

His gaze abruptly found her face and the hints of hesitation were there again; she was too easy to read at times—

"Anywhere," she whispered, pressing closer, "This shirt happens to cover."

_Holy shit…_The very idea set the boy's heart pounding, and something in his chest clenched; he tried to release it with a tight outtake of air, but it only constricted, pooling in his stomach to melt into straining coils, flooding lower…

"Karin…"

It was almost too much.

Being with her was so confusing…the yearn to tease her battling with the one to hold her, the fascination with her flaws and the one to admire her perfections, all of it against flickers of sudden uncertainty amongst contradicting urges…he hated that he loved it.

The shinobi would've very well knocked her onto her back, but yet again she was quicker.

Her mouth pushed against his and he gave a groan, hands coming up to grip the fabric and yank until her arms curled back and she was free of her—

…Shirt. Her shirt. Her god damn shirt. With a quiet noise he heard it rustle to the floor. And this time, his breath stopped.

Because he knew for a fact that the girl was only wearing bandages and her ridiculously short…well, shorts.

She responded to the call of her name with nothing, wrapping arms around his neck and kissing him instead until his mouth was moving against hers again, because he remembered how timid she had seemed just from unzipping it, remembered just how uncomfortable she was with exposing any vulnerability.

Well she'd just have to get used to it—he liked seeing this other side, the one replying to every bold push he made with one even more so, luring him in with almost shyness to knock him out with sheer audacity.

Her skin was so soft that his fingers tingled to feel more.

But his hands were hesitant to touch her bare back, slipping down her shoulder blades with caution, almost tentatively following those damned bandages to their precarious knot, but uncertainty wasn't for long...

"Heh…" He caught one of her deep crimson orbs eyeing him beneath thick lashes. "Don't tell me you're nervous…"

Who the hell was she to talk? He wasn't the one continuously blushing here. Before he could retort, though, another thought boiled up:

…Just how far could he go…? It was a question his body was burning to answer, even more than the first one.

A dare that slowly made his every move more insistent, until his hands were pushing her against him and wandering, mouth moving stronger and deeper, leaving her mouth for moments of exploration, waiting for the cue to ease up yet listening, feeling for every response.

"You know…" she eventually murmured, strain evident, "This isn't exactly fair."

"Who the hell," he inwardly grinned from the discovery of yet another perceptive portion of her skin, just above where the bandages around her chest began, "said I played _fair_?"

And Karin scowled despite the thrilling patterns of his mouth on her skin. She was _not_ letting the boy have this much if he wasn't going to be generous himself.

Suigetsu's body jerked with surprise when her hands suddenly dipped under his shirt, finger tips pressing into the tensing ridges of muscle beneath.

"I do starting now." Her voice came low and insistent in his ear, a curl of hot breath.

He would've responded with something, anything that leapt to mind, but every single thought was suddenly snapped in half.

Because her fingers splayed, exploring every single inch of skin and teasing every tensing line of muscle, palms stroking up or down or to the sides, nails lightly dragging, pads of her thumbs tracing his navel.

And that was just his stomach.

The boy watched, almost in stupor, at the incredible concentration she put into every single move with an ample dexterity he had never had the immense pleasure of knowing before, every stroke flooding hot blood downwards until it ached…

Only a moment longer and he practically slumped against her, mouth burying into her neck, hands gripping her hips because he didn't know what else to do.

In his reverie, she instantly seized the hem of his shirt, pulling it up and over his head, freeing his arms and letting it fall from her grip—

…_Damn…_And she was grateful the boy was a freak with water and not mind-reading.

His upper torso had been something from far away, but up close it was down right impressive. Obviously several years in a cylinder hadn't taken away that length of physical building.

"If you start drooling, don't let it spill."

Almost twitching, she glowered in his smirking gaze. "Do you _ever_ shut up?" she grumbled. "I'm serious, you're mouth ruins everything sometime—"

She was right—it ruined her sentence as it heatedly brushed against hers.

"I could tell you the same," he growled contently, and the deep sound mixing with his voice and words very quickly undid her supremacy.

Her scowl faltered, fingers curling against his shoulders uneasily, and he found she wasn't even trying to look him in the eye.

"Karin…"

She gave what he'd hardly call a willing glance. And he couldn't help but snort. She would come at him with a boldness that he could barely take in and then back off with girlish shyness that he refused to take.

"Don't tell me _you're_ nervous--" He should've known she'd desperately hide something she was already caught in.

The fingers roughly seizing his hair and bringing him an inch away from her mouth cut him off abruptly. "Shut it, Kappa-Teme, or I'll make you."

"To tell you the truth, I wouldn't mind that—"

Normally, cutting him off would call flat out verbal _war_. But the way her mouth landed hard on his, tongue, teeth, and lip, impatience and frustration roughly mixing with an anxious need…

If he had ever doubted the girl's kissing capability, now wasn't the time.

Karin pulled back an inch and apparently too soon.

She had a split second to notice the sheer hunger dawning his features before his lips fervently crushed to hers, tongue slipping in. And with a moan, she caved, finally and slowly sinking onto her own back as the boy moved over her.

_God…_ The bare skin of his upper body pushed down on hers, erupting with such heat that it burned. And when his legs fiercely intertwined with hers, she couldn't help but forget about every tiny unease and welcome the crave to battle him.

Their mouths and hands moved with increasing insistence, trying to find something new that would make the other weaken, battling with grating sounds and harsh ministrations, luring the other in to have them reeling for more, until every single other detail in life meant nothing more than the melting minutes.

And the winner was unannounced until Karin pulled back, slipping down to the pillows with a sharp, harsh breath, the hands pressing to his chest keeping him an agonizing inch at bay.

His smoldering gaze fell over her, hair spread, crimson eyes heatedly looking back at him through lowered lashes as her bandaged chest rose and fell for lost breath. His was no different.

"You know…we should be looking at those stupid maps…" she noted breathlessly.

A very smitten smirk broke from the concentrated intimacy that had overtaken him. "I don't think either of us wants to do something as boring as that…"

She slowly raised her brow, and something about the inquisitive look mixing with the lingering blush allured him even more.

"We might stumble somewhere we shouldn't be…" And the sudden lack of teasing in her voice made him rethink what she had just said. It was going for this situation too.

A small frown tugged at the corner of his lip at the seriousness, and he dipped down to tease her mouth with his. "You should know by now I do whatever I damn well please."

"…" Her unusual silence was irritating him.

A lightly pained laugh fell from him and Suigetsu followed it, slipping past her arms to embrace her tightly. "Do I have to convince you do to anything…?"

The white haired boy was more or less surprised to feel her arms wrap around him in just as tight of a hug.

"Where do you think this is going to lead, eh Kappa-teme…?" The usual pet peeve was beginning to sound more like a pet name.

His love bitten mouth dragged down her jaw and neck, feeling her chin tilt up instead of seeing her eyes practically roll back. "I'm not stupid-- I _know_ where this is going…"

And he finally gave into the urge his body had been demanding since she had removed her shirt.

She nearly choked on her own breath, pushing up against him, blush increasing…because his hips gave a rough grind against hers, and she felt his need again, only much more differently.

It was hard, pressing against her upper and inner thigh.

Something trembled down her body as his name was yanked from her throat. "Suigetsu…" she whimpered.

With a frustrated groan, his face buried into her hair, hands gripping at sheets. "I didn't want to tell you this…"

"Tell me what?" she murmured, turning her head to hear him over her own pulse now thundering in her ears—she hadn't been expecting that.

The side of his face she could see looked genuinely determined but with such reclusive features that she couldn't help but think him—she couldn't believe it at all—_adorable_.

"I don't think I like seeing you hurt as much as I used to," he slowly admitted in a whisper. "So what makes you think I'd hurt you? That this is somewhere we shouldn't go…?"

And just as he was so mortifyingly dreading but at the same time hoping for, her gaze immediately went from revelation to something so soft it was almost unnerving. To the point, in fact, where he closed his eyes altogether.

But Karin studied his features, the snowy colored strands gently falling across them…and she could see more than what he had just said.

No one had ever cared for her in such a way…

Saving her from the brink of death, sparing her the agony of a ravaged arm, struggling with the same feelings putting her through turmoil everyday since he had first placed them there…

And sticking around through it all just to let the whole picture sink in, even with his trademark impatience and utter lack of compassion.

"God, Suigetsu…"

He opened an eye to find apple candy red orbs half lidded, a half smile adorning her lip.

"Just when I start to think that you're an inconsiderate jackass with nothing else to do but annoy me…"

Her hands cupped his face, inching him forward until her nose was touching his. "You go and say something that reminds me how much of an utter pansy you are."

And she gave him such a warm and soft kiss to the mouth that it was almost startling such affection could come from such a bitch.

"Mocking me even when I try to be disgustingly nice-- and _I'm_ the inconsiderate one here…?"

"Heh," her thumbs slid beneath his eyes before sweeping across his eyebrows, gaze suggestively flickering down to his mouth. "You're just trying to talk me out of my shorts and you know it."

"…Is it working...?"

He couldn't help but ask. But at the same time, her bluntness gave him a small understanding; she was quickly learning to be comfortable in such a position, especially after his reluctant confession.

Maybe…she was just beginning to trust him.

And it only reinforced the budding feeling to help such a faith in him grow, no matter how much he yearned to continue.

She raised a brow at the question, but even further at his sudden pensive silence, and even more so at the arms tightening around her.

"Though it can't be anything of importance, what're you scheming now?"

"…I was just thinking about how you'd castrate me if I tried any further." And yet he tasted her supple skin, feeling her fingers instantly grip his hair as his hips harshly met hers again.

"It doesn't seem like you're giving me much of a choice," she weakly growled, fighting back the exhilarating rush such an intimate gesture gave.

Suigetsu's mouth covered hers one more time, savoring the sweet warmth and taste, lingering as long as he could before slowly (_slowly_) pulling back. His nose touched hers.

"I'll tear off your shorts some other time then…" The words were much harder to follow by than to say—he wanted nothing more than to lose himself to her losing herself, to forget everything but how he could get her to _give_ everything.

But now wasn't the time. Not yet.

To say the least, Karin was more than astonished that he would even stop to consider something, nonetheless something as serious as this. He just kept shocking her, didn't he…?

"What about your…?" Surely, he was pulling her leg; there was no way someone like him--

"I'll just think about that time when I accidentally saw Kabuto naked."

"_What?_"

"Trust me—I'm a guy. We happen to know what to do in these situations."

He felt it first, considering he was still on top of her. And then he heard it. It was something he had never heard the girl do in a non-malicious way, something so absolutely rare that his features almost fell to disbelief.

Her _laugh_.

The fact that she was doing such a thing from something_ he_ said was strange enough, but he had to see for himself.

He stared down as her head twisted to the side, a hand coming to cover the smile etching itself across her lips though her closing eyes gave it away, feeling her body tremor beneath from the noise escaping her.

Blinking, he found that he couldn't find a single bit of irritation…in fact…he almost smiled himself.

With a proper mental slap, said almost smile was replaced with said irritation. "See if I ever give you a choice again."

"Hm…" With the fading curls of her mouth, she pulled him down, fingers entangled with his hair as her mouth found his ear.

"You're getting harder and harder to say no to anyway…"

And this time he did smile, but only because she couldn't see; her own confession. And it would only bring them that much closer.

"Shut up and get dressed—you're not helping yourself here at all."

--

**Well, that was either a good chapter or a bad chapter—only your review will tell me, but since I'm an optimist, I'll say what I would if I were confident it was a great read and wasn't still slightly under horrible weather:**

**Oh come on, guys! I can't have a lemon right now; Karin isn't exactly someone who'd just instantly sleep with whoever starts something. But trust me—this fic is rated M for a reason. XD. Things are ****definitely**** going to get hotter the more Karin likes him, so be like Suigetsu and give it some time. Said wait can't be very long due to my severe (and creepy) infatuation with these two. **


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